Sfom  t^e  feifirarj^  of 

(pxofcBBox  T3?iffiam  ^cnxT^  (Breen 

(5$equeat^eb  6^^  §im  to 
t^e  feifirari?  of 

(pxincdon  C^eofogtcaf  ^emtnatg 


BV  2060  .L4  1895  c.2 
Lawrence,  Edward  A.  1847- 

1893. 
Modern  missions  in  the  East 


MODERN  MISSIONS  IN  THE  EAST 

THEIR 
METHODS,  SUCCESSES,  AND  LIMITATIONS 


EDWARD    A.   LAWRENCE,   D.D. 

WITH   AN   INTRODUCTION   BY 

EDWARD  T.  EATON,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

PRESIDENT   OF   13EL0IT    COLLEGE 


NEW    YORK 
HARPER    &    BROTHERS    PUBLISHERS 

1895 


Copyright,  1894,  by  Harper  &  Brothers, 
All  rights  reserved. 


From  Oriental  lands  Edward  Lawrence  wrote :  '*  /  am  in  the  world  of  the 
Past ;  yet  I  am  more  engrossed  in  the  Present  and  Future  than  in  all  by -gone 
dayn.  It  is  Life  that  most  interesta  and  concerns  me^  and  what  people  have  been 
is  of  interest  mainly  so  far  «■;  it  helps  to  slioio  what  they  are  and  may  become^ 

This  interest  was  deepened  and  intensified  at  every  stage  of  his  progress,  and 
after  his  return  led  to  the  preparation  of  this  volume. 

To  the  missionaries,  therefore,  of  various  denominations,  in  whose  homes 
he  teas  made  icelcome  in  his  journeyings  from  one  country  to  another;  from 
whom  he  always  found  it  hard  to  part ;  and  to  whom  he  woidd  himself  have 
spoken  lovingly  on  this  page  had  he  not  been  called  to  a  higher  sphere — to 
these  missionaries  of  many  lands  and  diverse  tongues  this  book  is  gratefully 
dedicated  by  his  sorrowing  yet  rejoicing  mother, 

Margaret  Woods  Lawrence 


LiNDKN    IIOMK,  MaRHLEIIKAI),   MaSS. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGB 

PRELIMINARY vii 

INTRODUCTORY    ix 

I.    PROVIDENCE    IN    MISSIONS 1 

II.    THE   PRINCIPLES   OF    MISSIONS THE    MISSION    AIM, 

SCOPE,  MOTIVE,  CALL,  FITNESS,  AND   FITTING      .  30 

in.    CHINA COREA — JAPAN 57 

IV.    INDIA 83 

V.    THE    TURKISH    DOMINIONS 109 

VI.    ENTRANCE    INTO    WORK 139 

VII.    THE  DEPARTMENTS  OF  MISSIONARY  WORK  IN  THEIR 

VARIETY 165 

VIII.    THE    HOME    AND    REST    OF    THE    MISSIONARY.       .        .194 

IX.    THE    PROBLEMS    OF    MISSIONS 226 

X.    SKETCHES    FROM    THE    MISSION    FIELD 256 

XL    THE    CHURCH    AND    MISSIONS 283 

XII.    THE    SPIRITUAL    EXPANSION    OF    CHRISTENDOM  .       .  306 


PEELIMI]S"AEY 

The  substance  of  this  volume  was  first  presented  in 
the  form  of  lectures  in  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  on 
the  Hyde  Foundation,  and  subsequently  in  Yale  Divinity 
School  and  Beloit  College.  The  contents  are  based  upon 
a  twenty  months'  missionary  journey  around  the  world 
with  the  express  purpose  of  studying  the  mission  work 
of  various  denominations.  Since  my  return  I  have  given 
months  of  special  attention  to  the  subject,  that  the  discus- 
sion might  have  a  more  permanent  value  than  that  of  a 
simple  report  of  things  seen  upon  the  field.  I  have  hoped 
that  in  some  ways  such  a  volume  might  serve  as  a  text- 
book for  those  who  wish  to  look  into  the  science  of  mis- 
sions. 

Edward  A.  Lawrence. 

Baltimore. 


The  statistics  in  this  volume  relating  to  the  various  mis- 
sions are  those  compiled  in  1890. 

M.  W.  L. 
Linden  Home. 


INTRODUCTOEY 

There  are  few  of  us  who  liave  the  opportunity  of  visit- 
fng  many  distant  lands  to  make  personal  observation  of  the 
work  of  the  great  missionary  societies.  There  are  fewer 
still  who  have  the  training  of  mind,  the  quickness  of  eye, 
the  breadth  of  judgment,  the  glow  of  spirit  necessary  for 
the  large  and  accurate  understanding  of  what  such  a  jour- 
ney has  to  disclose.  Great  is,  therefore,  the  service  done 
us  by  one  Avho  devotes  disciplined  powers  to  an  undertak- 
ing of  this  kind,  and  places  the  results  of  much  travel,  ob- 
servation, and  thought  within  our  reach.  This  service  is 
rendered  in  marked  degree  in  the  present  volume. 

It  was  natural  that  to  Dr.  Lawrence's  Christian  ardor 
and  keenly  scientific  intelligence  it  should  seem  a  thing 
most  to  be  desired  to  study  at  first-hand  the  great  work  of 
the  church  in  evangelizing  the  nations.  And  at  the  close 
of  his  pastorate  at  Syracuse  he  determined  to  carry  out 
his  long-cherished  plan  of  exploring  the  Orient.  For  his 
buoyant  spirit  the  obstacles  in  the  way  were  only  such  as 
it  was  pleasurable  to  overcome.  At  his  own  charges,  un- 
trammelled by  obligations  to  any  society  and  with  unusual 
catholicity  of  interest,  he  prosecuted  the  work  lie  had  set 
for  himself.  AVhen  it  was  done  he  felt,  as  such  a  gener- 
ous nature  must,  that  he  could  not  keep  to  himself  the  re- 
sults of  his  experience ;  they  were  too  full  of  instruction 


X  Introductory 

and  quietening  to  be  merely  hoarded.  If  others  cared 
to  see  what  he  had  seen  and  feel  what  he  had  felt  he  must 
share  it  with  them.  Hence  the  months  spent  in  making 
careful  record  of  it  all  in  lectures  and  addresses ;  and 
hence  this  book. 

A  profound  impression  was  made  upon  the  audiences 
w^ho  heard  these  lectures  from  Dr.  Lawrence's  lips.  Young- 
students  and  venerable  professors  were  alike  fascinated  and 
interested.  The  lectures  were  packed  so  full  of  facts  and 
broad  generalizations;  they  were  put  in  such  sinewy  and 
picturesque  English ;  they  were  so  genial,  so  thorough,  so 
business-like,  so  inspiring,  that  to  hear  them  was  to  attain 
a  permanent  and  invaluable  increase  of  conviction  of  the 
genuineness,  the  scope,  the  exigent  necessity,  the  limitless 
possibilities  of  the  foreign  missionary  work,  embodying 
in  itself  the  history  and  the  prophecy  of  the  church  of 
Christ. 

It  intensifies  the  interest  of  this  volume  that  its  author 
has  been  so  suddenly,  so  unexpectedly  withdrawn  from 
earth,  and  that  his  voice  is  heard  no  more.  Seeing  him  in 
the  very  prime  of  life,  we  counted  on  large  service  to  be 
rendered  his  Master  through  many  years  yet  to  come  of 
opulent,  devoted  manhood.  But  the  Lord  to  whose 
"  Come  "  and  "  Go  "  he  ever  rendered  such  simple-hearted 
obedience  gave  him  sealed  orders  for  the  journey  whence 
there  is  no  return — the  service  transcending  human  experi- 
ence ;  and  with  swift,  unwavering  obedience  he  turned  his 
face  heavenward  and  was  gone  ! 

A  memorial  volume  is  proposed,  but  it  is  fitting  that  a 
few  words  should  here  be  said  regarding  his  life  and  per- 
sonality. A  grandson  of  Professor  Leonard  Woods  and  only 
son  of  Professor  Edward  A.  Lawrence,  his  was  a  lineage 


Introductory  xt 

of  Christian  scholarship ;  and  with  naturalness  and  joy  he 
entered  upon  his  inheritance,  receiving  his  academic  train- 
ing at  Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  and  at  Yale  College,  and 
studying  theology  at  Princeton,  and  then  with  Tholuck  at 
Halle  and  Dorner  at  Berlin.  The  venerable  Dr.  Tholuck 
cherished  a  peculiar  affection  for  this  young  American,  ex- 
pecting of  him  high  service  for  Christian  truth.  It  was 
the  thought  of  some  who  knew  him  intimately  that  he  had 
special  adaptations  for  the  work  of  a  teacher  of  Christian 
learning;  but  his  intensely  practical  and  sympathetic 
nature  unhesitatingly  chose  the  calling  of  the  pastor.  It 
was  a  wise  choice,  and  he  was  always  abundantly  satisfied 
with  having  made  it.  Into  the  work  of  the  ministry  he 
flung  all  his  powers  and  attainments :  his  solid  thought,  his 
high  enthusiasms,  his  wise  and  tender  care  of  individual 
souls,  his  ability  to  organize  and  to  select  the  fitting  agents 
for  carrying  out  his  wide  plans,  bis  sociological  researches, 
his  philanthropic  zeal  and  practical  sagacity — all  with  the 
joyous  abandon  of  the  whole-hearted  Christian  leader. 

I  have  never  known  any  one  who  combined  in  himself 
more  perfectly  the  attractions  of  abounding  health  and  vi- 
tality, the  delight  of  living,  keen  enjoyment  of  Nature  in 
her  wilder  and  gentler  aspects,  quick  and  overflowing 
humor,  with  such  regnant  spirituality  of  thought  and  life, 
such  absolute  reality  and  sincerity  of  character,  such  filial 
devotion,  such  practical  sense,  such  delicate  sympathy.  It 
was  inevitable  that  he  should  draw  to  himself  men  and 
women  of  most  diverse  kinds,  understandins:  them  all  and 
knitting  them  to  himself  in  grateful  love. 

Among  the  many  tributes  called  forth  by  his  removal 
from  earth,  the  following  extract  from  a  letter  by  Pro- 
fessor Edward  H.  GriflSn,  Dean  of  the  Department  of  Phi- 


xii  Introductory 

losophy  in  Johns  Hopkins  University,  may  be  quoted  as  ex- 
pressing the  judgment  of  leaders  of  thought : 

"  It  was  chiefly  as  a  preacher  and  as  one  active  in  many 
educational,  philanthropic,  and  religious  enterprises  that  I 
knew  him.  For  four  years  I  heard  him  preach  each  Sunday, 
and  was  witness  of  the  unwearied  devotion  with  which  he 
gave  himself  to  manifold  labors,  not  only  for  those  to  whom 
he  was  under  official  obligation,  but  for  any  and  all  whom  he 
could  serve.  Mr.  Lawrence  appeared  to  me,  as  I  watched 
his  career,  one  of  the  most  unselfish,  magnanimous,  and 
chivalrous  persons  I  had  ever  known.  He  seemed  to  leave 
himself  out  of  account  altogether,  and  to  ask  only  what  he 
could  do  for  the  happiness  and  welfare  of  others.  There 
was  a  hopefulness  and  courage  and  good  cheer  about  him 
which  made  him  a  natural  leader.  He  had  good  judgment, 
excellent  common -sense,  and  the  tact  which  comes  of 
blended  justice  and  kindness.  It  is  somewhat  unusual  to 
find  so  much  aptitude  for  affairs  combined  with  the 
interest  in  speculative  thought  which  Mr.  Lawrence  had. 
One  who  was  familiar  with  his  earlier  life  expressed  surprise 
on  hearing  of  his  sociological  studies  and  labors,  say- 
ing, '  That  was  not  at  all  the  bent  of  his  mind  at  first. 
He  was  a  thinker,  a  profound  student  of  theology  and 
philosophy.'  It  was  his  large  sympathy  with  men,  doubt- 
less, which  accounts  for  his  development  in  this  direc- 
tion. 

"The  conception  of  the  Christian  pulpit  by  which  he 
was  inspired  was  a  singularly  comprehensive  one,  giving 
evidence  of  the  wide  range  of  his  interests  and  acquisitions. 
He  was  not  confined,  as  so  many  preachers  are,  to  a  partic- 
ular class  of  subjects  or  a  certain  style  of  treatment.  He 
spoke  on  all  sorts  of  subjects  and  with  much  variety  of 


Introductory  xiii 

method.     And  he  was  never  more  at  home  than  in  talking 
to  students. 

"  It  is  a  pleasure  for  me  to  express,  however  imperfectly, 
my  sense  of  the  rare  qualities  which  made  this  life  so  pre- 
cious a  gift  to  those  who  were  brought  into  contact  with  it. 
How  impossible  it  is  to  suppose,  when  one  thinks  of  the 
possibilities  latent  in  him,  that  death  ends  all ! 

"  '  Tliat  force, 
Surely,  has  not  been  left  vain ! 
In  the  sounding  labor-house  vast 
Of  being  is  practised  that  strength — 
Zealous,  beneficent,  firm.'  " 

The  following  recollections  of  travel  by  one  *  who  was 
sharer  of  a  brief  part  of  Dr.  Lawrence's  journey ings  in  the 
East  may  serve  to  help  the  reader  feel  more  vividly  in  his 
presence  and  more  intimately  in  his  companionship  while 
sharing  in  the  following  chapters  his  experiences  and  ob- 
servations in  mission  lands : 

"  I  met  your  son  first  at  Cairo,  Egypt,  on  his  return  from 
his  world  -  round  trip.  I  wa's  drawn  to  him  instantly,  and 
was  overjoyed  in  my  loneliness  to  be  able  to  make  ar- 
rangements to  have  him  as  my  tent-mate  through  the  Holy 
Land.  The  combination  of  strength  and  gentleness  in  his 
face  greatly  impressed  me.  He  was  absolutely  devoid  of 
selfishness.  He  was  thoroughly  equipped  for  the  noblest 
service,  physically,  mentally,  and  spiritually. 

"  After  leaving  Jerusalem  we  camped  and  chummed  to- 
gether '  through  the  Land,'  and  occupied  the  same  state-room 
on  board  a  French  steamer  for  a  few  days  in  the  Levant. 

*  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  E.  Robinson,  of  Scranton,  Pa. 


xiv  Introductory 

It  is  under  such  circumstances  you  test  a  man;  sucli 
journeyings  reveal  what  is  in  one ;  and  they  showed 
Edward  Lawrence  in  the  most  winning  light — gentle,  cour- 
teous, humble,  patient,  learned,  serene,  and  loving.  He 
seemed  to  me  physically  tireless,  and  he  was  never  so  hap- 
py as  when  rendering  some  service  to  others. 

"  At  Nazareth,  one  Sunday,  we  left  the  camp  and  climbed 
the  hill  together.  The  songs  we  sang,  the  Scriptures  we 
read,  the  prayers  we  offered,  the  view  we  enjoyed,  are  all 
delightfully  associated  with  memories  of  him.  An  evening 
at  Csesarea  Philippi,  under  the  shadow  of  Mount  Hermon, 
comes  back  to  me — the  air  tremulous  with  the  murmur  of 
the  streams  flowing  out  from  the  heart  of  the  great  moun- 
tain and  vibratory  with  the  song  of  birds  and  flooded  with 
the  full  moonlight,  when  our  quickened  souls  were  silent, 
and  we  stood,  as  Browning  says,  '  In  the  heart  of  things.' 

"  As  I  was  at  that  time  in  delicate  health,  he  cared  for 
me  as  if  we  were  brothers.  Over  the  roughest  roads  and 
hardest  climbs  he  insisted  upon  my  using  his  horse  and 
saddle,  which  were  much  easier  than  my  own.  His 
thoughtfulness  and  his  ministrations  to  me  through  all  the 
exactions  of  that  journey  on  horseback,  in  tent-life,  and  on 
the  sea  were  as  delicate  and  tender  as  a  woman's,  and  I 
recall  them  with  the  liveliest  emotions  of  gratitude.  In  the 
closer  association  on  ship-board,  where  we  occupied  the 
same  state-room,  I  thoroughly  appreciated  and  enjoyed  his 
refinement  and  unselfishness.  With  the  waking  of  every 
morning  he  would  look  over  the  side  of  his  berth  with 
his  kindly  smile,  and  reach  out  his  hand  to  greet  his  *  chum.' 

"I  have  never  known  so  intimately  a  whiter,  nobler  soul 
than  his,  and  I  mourn  his  death  as  the  loss  of  one  the 
church  and  the  world  could  not  spare." 


Introductory  xv 

It  is  a  suggestive  fact  that  after  Dr.  Lawrence's  study  of 
foreign  missions  on  the  ground,  with  the  deep  interest  in 
them  thus  developed,  he  threw  himself  with  new  insight 
and  ardor  into  the  work  of  the  city  missions  and  poor 
relief  at  home.  His  pastorate  at  Baltimore  was  distin- 
guished by  the  amount  and  value  of  his  service  to  the  Asso- 
ciated Charities  of  that  city,  in  which  he  became  a  leading 
spirit.  He  was  thus  a  living  illustration  of  the  unity  of 
mission  effort  and  the  oneness  of  the  true  missionary  spirit. 
It  was  a  beautiful  culmination  of  this  phase  of  his  ministry 
that  a  considerable  part  of  the  last  months  of  his  life  was 
spent  in  residence  in  the  tenements,  in  order  to  study  with 
utmost  accuracy  the  life  and  needs  of  the  poor,  to  come  him- 
self and  to  be  able  to  bring  his  young  people  into  most 
direct  and  vital  connection  with  them.  Was  it  thus  that  his 
Saviour  was  bringing  him  into  closest  fellowship  with  him- 
self, and  preparing  him  for  the  nearer  vision  of  his  glory  ? 
When  he  was  gone,  the  sermon  that  was  found  unfinished  on 
his  desk  was  from  the  text :  "  I  shall  be  satisfied  when 
I  awake  with  Thy  likeness." 

On  the  walls  of  the  church  from  which  he  was  called  to 
the  higher  ministries  of  heaven  has  been  placed  a  beautiful 
tablet  bearing  the  inscription : 

EDWARD  A.  LAWRENCE,  D.D. 

Served  his  Master  with  all  Zeal  and  Faithfulness 

IN  THIS  Place  and  in  the  Streets  and  Lanes  of  the  City 

FROM  June  9th,  1889,  till  November  10th,  1893, 

when  God  took  him. 

But  a  still  more  beautiful  and  significant  tribute  is  tak- 
ing shape  in  the  Lawrence  Memorial  Association,  formed 


xvi  Introductory 

to  continue  and  enlarge  the  work  which  Dr.  Lawrence  in- 
augurated among  the  tenements  on  Parkin  Street,  in  Balti- 
more. Here,  in  no  merely  figurative  sense,  will  his  voice 
still  be  heard ;  here  will  his  consecrated  purpose  for  the 
uplifting  of  humanity  be  felt  more  and  more  strongly  as 
the  days  and  years  go  on.  Surely  to  him  is  accorded 
the  blessing  of  those  whose  works  do  follow  them. 

Edward  T.  Eaton. 

Beloii,  Wlscomin. 


MODERN  MISSIONS  IN  THE  EAST 


CHAPTER  I 

PROVIDENCE     IN     MISSIONS 


,  The  original  and  sole  Master  Missionary  is  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  as  Lord  of  his  kingdom  he  has  put  his 
own  divine  commission  upon  his  followers.  It  is  "  Come  !" 
"  Go  !"  two  commands  in  one.  "  Come,  learn  of  me  !" 
"  Go,  preach  the  gospel !"  His  first  command  to  his  dis- 
ciples was,  "  Follow  me,  and  I  will  make  you  fishers  of  men  " ; 
his  last,  "  Go  ye  and  make  disciples  of  all  the  nations." 
Discipleship  and  apostleship  are  one  and  inseparable. 
The  instinct  of  true  Christian  life  is  everywhere  the  same. 
We  learn  but  to  teach ;  we  know  of  Jesus  but  to  tell  of 
Jesus.  We  commune  with  him  but  to  communicate  him. 
Even  so  are  we  sent  as  he  has  been  sent.  The  commission 
is  identical^  and  it  is  in  virtue  of  that  final  command  and 
according  to  our  fulfilment  of  it  that  we  are  to  experience 
his  fulfilment  of  the  final  promise,  a  promise  made  to  a 
militant  missionary  church,  not  to  one  that  is  at  ease  in 
Zion.  Just  so  far  as  his  church  accepts  her  responsibility 
for  teachin(T  all  nations  to  observe  all  thino-s  whatsoever  he 
has  commanded  her  may  she  expect  to  hear  the  voice  of 


2  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

him  to  whom  all  authority  has  been  given  in  heaven  and 
on  earth,  saying,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  to  the 
end  of  the  world." 

Thus  the  church  is  a  coin  of  divine  minting.  One  side 
shows  the  likeness  of  its  Lord,  the  other  the  map  of  the 
world.  Both  devices  are  so  indelibly  stamped  into  the 
metal  that  to  mar  either  harms  the  coin,  to  efface  either  de- 
stroys it.  The  world  is  itself  to  be  finally  shaped  into  that 
divine  likeness.  Thus,  Christ  is  at  once  Authority  and 
Pattern,  Inspirer  and  Organizer,  Author  and  End  of  missions. 
Apart  from  him  we  can  do  nothing.  Through  him  we  can 
do,  and  teach  all  men  to  do,  all  things  which  he  has  com- 
manded us. 

Xot  only,  then,  is  the  Bible,  in  such  a  sublime  sense  as  is 
just  dawning  upon  us,  the  Mission  Book  of  the  World,  the 
New  Testament  being  the  grammar  of  missions,  but  Christ 
has  constituted  every  Christian  a  missionary,  Christianity 
a  mission  religion,  the  church  the  great  missionary  in- 
stitute. Such  is  the  divine  idea.  What  now  has  been  the 
fact  in  realization  of  that  idea? 

We  interrogate  history,  which  is  not  merely,  as  has  been 
well  said,  "  an  excellent  cordial  for  drooping  courage,"  but 
is  also  a  rod  for  presumption  and  a  staff  for  inquiry. 

When  we  ask  what  place  in  the  history  of  the  church 
has  Providence  given  to  missions,  we  notice  first  the  con- 
tinuity of  missions.  We  distinguish  certain  grand  mission 
epochs,  and  are  apt  to  infer  that  these  comprise  the  whole 
of  mission  history.  But  missions  are  no  modern  discovery, 
or  rediscovery  of  what  was  lost  in  the  fourth  or  the  ninth 
century.  There  have  been  flood  and  ebb  of  the  tide,  alter- 
nations of  enthusiasm  and  lassitude,  of  zeal  and  apathy, 
of  conquest  and  apparent  defeat.    There  have  been  times  of 


Providence  in  Missions  3 

forgetfulness,  stagnation,  corruption.  Many  false  methods 
have  been  employed  for  the  enlargement  of  Christendom. 
The  spirit  of  missions,  which  is  the  spirit  of  Christ,  has 
been  debased  with  the  lust  of  power,  or  the  lust  of  gold, 
or  the  lust  of  blood.  The  serpent's  trail  is  seen  all  over 
the  sacred  path.  The  church,  in  its  corporate  capacity,  has 
often  done  nothing  or  else  has  done  all  amiss.  Yet  the 
golden  thread  has  not  been  broken,  the  prophecy  has  not 
failed.  The  sway  which  Christianity  exercises  in  the  world 
to-day  is  the  result  of  over  eighteen  centuries  of  continu- 
ous effort  and  achievement.  It  may  well  be  questioned 
whether  there  has  ever  been  a  time  since  that  Avorld-wide 
commission  was  first  given  when  its  appeal  has  ceased  to 
ring  in  the  ears  and  find  response  in  the  hearts  of  some  of 
Christ's  followers,  when  at  least  individual  members  of  the 
church  have  not  been  planning  or  winning  fresh  conquests 
for  him. 

It  is  certainly  true,  in  the  words  of  Dr.  Maclear,  that 
"you  can  point  to  no  critical  epoch  since  the  foundation 
of  the  church — whether  it  was  the  downfall  of  the  Roman 
Empire,  or  the  incoming  of  the  new  races,  or  their  settle- 
ment in  their  new  homes,  or  the  bursting  upon  Europe  of 
the  sea-rovers  from  the  north,  or  the  moving  of  the  Slavon- 
ic races  to  their  present  localities,  or  the  discovery  of  the 
New  World,  or  the  present  age,  during  which  science  has 
given  to  the  political  organism  a  new  circulation,  which  is 
steam,  and  a  new  nervous  system,  which  is  electricity — when 
the  spirit  of  missionary  enthusiasm  has  not  been  rekindled 
just  at  the  juncture  when  it  was  most  needed."  Precisely 
this  was  the  anticipation  of  Jesus.  "  This  gospel  of  the 
kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the  world  for  a  witness 
unto  all  the  nations,  and  then  shall  the  end  come."     He 


4  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

announces  a  continuity  of  efforts.  So  far  from  apprehend- 
ing that  the  removal  of  his  bodily  presence  will  interrupt 
or  impede  the  progress  of  his  kingdom,  ho  allows  its  uni- 
versal aim  to  date  from  that  event,  and  looking  from  Olivet 
around  on  all  nations  and  down  through  all  ages,  "  he 
claims  with  an  absolute  assurance  the  rise  of  a  succession 
of  heralds,  who  shall  carry  on  a  task  hitherto  unknown — the 
continuous  proclamation  of  his  gospel  till  the  end  of  time." 
The  vision  has  been  fulfilled.  From  that  day  to  this, 
with  whatever  exceptional  interruptions,  with  whatever 
grievous  perversion,  a  continual  succession  of  men  has  gone 
forth  from  the  church  into  the  world,  intent  on  the  prop- 
agation  of  the  faith,  and  the  spread  of  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  There  can  be  no  question  that  in  every  one  of 
these  nineteen  Christian  centuries  mission  work  in  some 
form  or  other  has  been  going  on.  We  cannot  always  trace 
it  directly,  but  we  can  see  its  results.  The  second  and 
third  centuries  are  covered  with  dense  darkness,  so  far  as 
the  records  go,  but  none  were  more  intensely  missionary. 
From  that  time  on  to  the  present,  every  century,  I  think, 
without  exception,  shows  conspicuous  names  engaged  in 
this  work.     These  are  some  of  them  : 

...Ulfilas. 

...  St.  Patrick, 

.  . .  Columba. 

. . .  Augustine. 

. . .  Boniface. 

. . .  Ansgar. 

. .  .Vladimir. 

...  St.  Stephen  of  Hungary. 

. . .  Bishop  Otto  of  Bamberg. 

. .  .Raymond  Lull. 


Fourth     century . 

Fifth 

Sixth 

Seventh 

Eighth 

Ninth 

Tenth 

Eleventh 

Twelfth 

Thirteenth 

Providence  in  Missions  5 

Fourteenth  century. . .  .John  de  Monte  Corvino. 
Fifteenth  "       ....  Las  Casas. 

Sixteenth  "       ....  Francis  Xavier. 

Seventeentli     "       ...  .John  Eliot. 
Eighteenth       "       ...  .Carey. 
Nineteenth       "       .  .  . .  Jiidson. 

But  these  are  a  few  names  out  of  hundreds  known  to  us. 
And  those  are  but  a  few  out  of  tens  of  thousands  known 
to  the  recording  angel  who  in  every  century  liavc  braved 
peril  and  endured  hardship  that  they  might  spread  abroad 
the  gospel.* 

"  The  evidential  value  of  the  continuity  of  the  mission 
enterprise,"  as  Dr.  Maclear  styles  it,  is  something  not  to  be 
lost  sight  of.  If  it  is  an  enterprise  which  has  never  died 
out,  lapsing  with  the  decline  only  to  rise  with  the  recovery 
of  the  church,  then  this  fact  alone  would  not  only  define 
its  inalienable  place  in  the  church,  but  would  also  declare 
its  significance  and  glory. 

Glance  now  at  the  various  stages  or  periods  in  this  con- 
tinuous mission  labor. 

The  usual  division  is  into  Primitive,  Mediaeval,  and 
Modern ;  Primitive  missions  including  the  Apostolic  and 
post-Apostolic,  and  terminating  with  the  conversion  of  the 
Roman  Empire  ;  Media3val  missions  covering  the  next  mil- 
lennium ;  Modern  missions  starting  from  about  the  time 
of  the  Reformation.  This  division,  however,  is  arbitrary, 
unwieldy,  and  inaccurate.  The  Encyclopcedia  of  Missions 
makes  these  divisions  :  The  Pentecostal  Church,  the  Apos- 
tolic Church,  the  ante  -  Nicene  Church,  the  Imperial 
Church,  the  Feudal  Church,  the  CrusadinG:  Church,  the 
Colonizing  Church,  the  Organized  Church.  These  repre- 
sent the  state   of  the   church   rather  than   the  stages   of 


6  Modem  Missions  in  the  East 

missions.  There  is  another  division  by  localities  :  Medi- 
terranean, European,  Universal, 

The  most  natural  and  instructive  division,  however, 
seems  to  me  that  based  on  nationality.  It  is  the  meth- 
od suggested  by  Jesus  himself,  "  Go,  teach  all  nations," 
and  outlining  the  plan  of  his  kingdom's  progress,  "Ye 
shall  be  my  witnesses  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Ju- 
dea  and  Samaria  and  unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth."  First  the  sacred  city;  next  the  chosen  people; 
then  the  mingling  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  ;  finally  the  world 
with  all  its  nations.  Guided  by  this  principle,  from  our 
later  standpoint  we  see  the  first  stages  blended,  the  last 
divided.  We  might  classify  them  as  Imperial,  Tribal, 
Universal.  Or  more  fully:  1.  Romanic;  2.  Teutonic;  3. 
Slavonic  ;  4.  Universal.  In  the  last  class  are  to  be  includ- 
ed all  extra  European  missions,  whenever  or  wherever  be- 
gun.* 

Providence  in  missions  appears  especially  in  the  two 
factors  which  are  to  be  found  interacting  wherever  the 
church  has  done  true  service  for  Christ.  These  are,  I. 
Opportunity ;  2.  Fidelity.  The  sphere  of  the  former 
is  external,  of  the  latter  internal.  Both  are  God-given, 
both  to  be  humanly  appropriated.  God  provides  the  op- 
portunity. He  inspires  the  fidelity.  The  church  must 
accept  the  one  as  the  other.  Both  must  concur,  though 
either  may  precede;  the  opportunity,  as  has  more  fre- 
quently been  the  case,  stimulating  fidelity,  or  fidelity  mak- 
ing a  way  where  it  does  not  find  a  way,  thus  creating 
its  own  opportunity.  Nothing  will  better  prepare  one  to 
take    a   part    in    the    world  -  wide    movement    of   to  -  day 

*  Read  Smith's  Mcdueval  Missionfi^  Maclcar,  and  Encijdopcedia. 


Promdence  in  Missions  7 

than  to  trace  the  working  of  Providence  in  the  history  of 
missions. 

The  preparation  for  the  first  great  opportunity  began 
long  before  the  summons  to  work.  Through  all  the  patri- 
archal and  prophetic  ages  Palestine  was  a  great  training- 
school  for  missions.  AH  that  while  God  was  training  his 
people  by  seclusion  to  that  purity  and  tenacity  of  faith 
which  must  be  the  inheritance  of  a  religion  which  would 
win  the  world  by  conquest  rather  than  by  compromise. 
At  the  same  time,  all  along,  scattered  hints  of  the  uni- 
versal destiny  of  this  religion  were  dropped  as  seeds  in  the 
heart  of  the  people,  which  should  ripen  in  the  fulness  of 
time.  And  centuries  before  this  time  came  we  can  see 
God's  hand  making  the  Gentile  world  ready.  The  more 
we  study  those  ages,  the  more  shall  we  see  the  truth  of 
the  remark  of  the  German  historian  Droysen,  "  Chris- 
tianity is  the  point  towards  which  the  development  of  the 
old  pagan  world  moves,  from  which  its  history  must  be 
comprehended." 

In  the  ancient  civilizations,  as  is  the  case  in  lesser  degree 
with  some  of  those  of  Asia  to-day,  religion  and  life  were 
closely  identified.  The  state  ruled  over  both,  absorbing  the 
individual,  creating  its  own  gods.  All  the  relations  of  life 
were  subject  to  the  state,  and  each  separate  state  was 
bound  up  with  its  own  local  deities.  Such  compact  struct- 
ures could  be  shaken  down  only  by  being  shaken  in  all 
their  parts.  And  how  should  these  rigid  systems  be  over- 
thrown by  a  religion  which  approached  them  from  a  lower 
level  of  culture,  and  seemed,  in  fact,  indifferent,  if  not  even 
hostile,  to  culture  ;  which  appealed  to  the  individual,  in 
states  where  personality  was  swallowed  up  in  patriotism, 
and  claimed  a  universal  and    exclusive    dominion   among 


8  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

peoples  crystallized  into  intense  and  hostile  nationalities, 
and  presided  over  by  jealous  tribal  divinities  ? 

God  had  his  own  way  of  rendering  the  triumph  of  such 
a  religion  possible.  He  made  five  casts  of  his  hand.  With 
each  cast  he  broke  down  barriers.  With  each  cast  he 
threw  out  lines  into  all  the  earth,  which,  in  his  own  time, 
he  was  to  draw  together  into  one  great  net  that  should  hold 
in  its  meshes  the  fragments  of  disrupted  kingdoms,  the 
floating  elements  of  dissolved  nationalities,  among  which, 
in  this  new  contact  and  oneness  of  life,  the  personal  appeal 
and  the  universal  claim  could  make  their  way.  There  were 
five  great  dispersions.  The  migrations  of  the  Aryan  race 
began  the  first  or  Aryan  dispersion.  From  their  primitive 
centre,  whether  in  Asia  or  Northern  Europe,  they  pushed 
themselves  out  into  one  after  another  of  what  were  to  be- 
come the  great  centres  of  civilization — into  India,  Persia, 
Greece,  Italy,  Gaul,  and  Russia.  The  affinities  of  the  peo- 
ples that  sprang  up  in  each  of  these  countries  were  such 
that  it  has  ever  been  easy  for  one  common  life  to  possess 
them  all.  In  India  to-day  one  feels  the  latent  bond  of  re- 
lationship between  the  citizen  of  the  United  States  and 
the  Brahman.  One  after  another  the  various  branches  of 
this  great  race  yield  to  the  power  of  the  Universal  re- 
ligion, which,  originating  in  the  Semitic  race,  has  used  the 
many  scattered  branches  of  the  Aryan  race  as  its  vehicles 
and  messengers  in  its  triumphant  progress  around  the 
world. 

The  second,  or  QreeTc  dispersion,  which  had  its  begin- 
nings in  the  nature  of  that  people,  was  extended  by  the 
campaigns  of  Alexander,  which  were  but  the  preludes  to 
the  journeys  of  St.  Paul.  The  conqueror  was  God's  ham- 
mer to  beat  down  the  walls  with  which  the  Persian  Empire 


Promdence  in  Missions  9 

had  hemmed  in  the  restless,  colonizing  Greeks.  Then  God 
scattered  these  cosmopolitans  broadcast.  Under  their  pre- 
dominating influence,  Alexandria  and  Antioch  became  cen- 
tres of  trade  and  letters.  Asia  Minor,  Syria,  Egypt,  the 
whole  section  lying  along  the  Mediterranean,  was  Hellen- 
ized.  Their  very  downfall  as  a  people  and  subsequent 
calamities  dispersed  them  but  the  more,  and  thus  broad- 
ened their  influence.  Says  Dollinger,  "  The  Greek  school- 
master everywhere  followed  the  Roman  legionary."  A 
new  set  of  relations  was  formed  amono-  the  crumblinof  na- 
tionalities,  whose  members  were  brought  into  close  mental 
contact  through  Greek  commerce,  literature,  philosophy, 
and  language.  That  wide-spread  classic  tongue  was  thus 
preparing  to  be  the  receptacle  of  Revelation,  first  in  the  Sep- 
tuagint  translation,  then  in  the  original  version  of  the  Gos- 
pels and  Epistles,  the  only  books  of  any  of  the  great  re- 
ligions that  have  been  primarily  recorded  in  any  other  than 
an  Asiatic  tongue. 

A  third  time  God  flung  out  his  lines  afar  in  the  Roman 
dis]7ersion,  or  distribution.  Then  in  the  west,  as  before  in 
the  east,  kingdoms  were  broken  up,  peoples  denational- 
ized, and  both  east  and  west  men  were  brought  into  legal 
and  political  contact,  while  their  roads  by  land  and  their 
ships  by  sea  abolished  distance  and  drew  men  into  physical 
proximity.  Two  opposite  processes  were  going  on  simul- 
taneously— disorganization  and  reorganization.  But  while 
the  old  pattern  had  been  provincial,  the  new  was  universal. 
Well  has  Niebuhr  said,  "  The  history  of  every  ancient  na- 
tion ends  in  Rome  ;  the  history  of  every  modern  nation  be- 
gins in  Rome." 

It  is  easy  to  see  how  in  the  Greek  and  Roman  disper- 
sions God  had  set  certain  solvent  agencies  at  work,  which 


10  Modern  Missions  hi  the  East 

would  disintegrate  the  old  structures  of  pagan  life.  The 
power  of  each  ancient  state  was  broken,  the  prestige  of  the 
local  gods  was  lost.  Society  was  emancipated  from  the 
dominion  of  the  patriarchal  family.  The  very  household 
was  disintegrated  to  make  way  for  personality,  liberty,  and 
private  property.  The  great  cities  which  succeeded  to  the 
ancient  states  were  not  grand  enough  nor  exclusive  enough 
to  absorb  the  patriotism  of  their  citizens.  The  vast  Roman 
Empire  was  not  compact  enough  to  have  much  hold  on  the 
loyalty  of  its  subjects.  Local  religion,  first  shocked  by  the 
defeat  of  its  gods,  was  afterwards  corroded  by  Greek  phi- 
losophy. 

Thus  all  around  the  Mediterranean  the  isolation  and  ex- 
clusion which  had  prevailed  were  changed  to  dispersion 
and  concentration.  Diversity  and  hostility  were  succeeded 
by  uniformity  and  intercourse.  But  the  former  pride  and 
glory  had  been  followed  by  discontent.  The  old  objects 
of  love  and  worship,  on  which  men's  passions  had  been 
centred,  were  torn  or  melted  away,  and  nothing  had  been 
found  to  take  their  place.  Deep  dissatisfaction  prevailed. 
Men's  lives  were  empty.  They  were  sick  at  heart.  Brought 
into  close  contact  with  one  another,  they  were  not  united, 
but  were  at  odds  with  both  God  and  man.  The  unity  of 
the  Roman  Empire  was  a  mechanical  unity,  which  could 
only  hold  the  fragments  of  humanity  in  local  and  legal  jux- 
taposition until  the  power  appeared  that  should  fuse  them 
into  one  common  life. 

What  a  marvellous  mission  field  was  thus  offered  to  the 
gospel !  And  what  a  marvellous  Providence  had  prepared 
it !  It  is  God  who  tumbles  down  the  pagan  walls,  it  is  he 
who  melts  away  the  icy  barriers  with  the  breath  of  his 
mouth.     He  makes  the  mission  roads,  and  builds  the  mis- 


Providence  in  Missions  11 

sion  bridges.  And  when  he  calls  tlie  mission  army  forth, 
lo  !  already  he  lias  entered  the  enemies'  camp,  to  make 
them  faint  and  fear,  lie  worked  so  then,  he  works  so 
now,  in  India  as  in  the  Roman  Empire. 

But  there  were  two  more  dispersions.  The  fourth  was 
that  of  the  Jews.  Not  only  their  Babylonian  captivity,  but, 
later  on,  their  own  growing  needs  and  tastes  drew  them 
into  the  movement  of  the  times  and  scattered  them,  as  the 
Jewish  Diaspora,  throughout  the  civilized  world.  In  the 
ancient  world  also  Judaism  was  an  effective  leaven  of  cos- 
mopolitanism and  national  decomposition.  Thus  were  they 
the  condition,  not  only  of  the  rise  of  Christianity,  but  of 
its  incorporation  into  the  heathen  world.  Their  proselytes 
hung  as  a  loose  fringe  to  Judaism.  Aroused  but  not  fet- 
tered by  its  new  truths,  these  Hellenists  were  just  the  fa- 
vorable soil  for  the  gospel  seed.  Preaching  almost  always 
found  its  first  audiences  in  the  ubiquitous  synagogues  and 
houses  of  prayer.  Every  synagogue  w^as  a  mission  station 
of  monotheism ;  and  it  was  those  who  had  been  lately  kin- 
dled by  the  teaching  of  the  prophets  wdio  most  readily  ac- 
cepted the  Messiah  of  whom  these  prophets  spoke. 

Finally,  with  a  fifth  cast  of  his  hand,  God  flung  the 
Christians  out.  They  were  not  long  permitted  to  cling  to 
the  sacred  city,  but  were  even  driven  forth,  houses  falling 
about  their  heads,  to  wander  out  into  all  the  world,  often 
unintentional  and  unconscious  missionaries,  witnesses  to 
the  truth  of  the  gospel  among  all  nations. 

See  how  God's  work  is  done  !  Grain  has  been  gathered 
from  many  distant  scattered  fields.  By  conquering  hoofs  it 
has  been  ground  into  meal,  by  governing  hands  it  has  been 
kneaded  into  one  lump,  the  Roman  Empire.  Now  shall  the 
leaven  be  put  into  the  lump,  that  so  at  last  it  may  become 


12  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

like  unto  the  kingdom  of  God.  Into  the  sliattered,  uneasy, 
inorganic  Roman  world,  there  is  inserted,  by  the  labors  of 
these  few  Christians,  the  life  of  one  divine  Lord,  as  the 
supply  of  all  their  needs,  the  centre  of  all  their  passions 
and  affections,  through  the  vitalizing  power  of  which  they 
may  grow  into  one  people  and  spread  into  one  glorious 
kingdom. 

I  have  dwelt  at  some  length  on  the  preparatory  work  of 
this  era,  not  only  because  of  its  intrinsic  importance,  but 
also  because,  in  the  study  of  the  mission  work  of  our  time,  I 
find  myself  every  day  more  and  more  referred  to  that  early 
period,  as  the  type  and  the  key  to  very  much  that  is  hap- 
pening now.  And  I  am  convinced  that  if  any  seek  to  inter- 
pret the  opportunity  of  to-day  in  the  vast  empires  of  Asia, 
they  must  carefully  study  the  way  in  which  God  prepared 
the  great  apostolic  opportunity  throughout  the  Roman  Em- 
pire. 

Droysen  says,  "The  highest  achievement  which  antiq- 
uity in  its  own  strength  has  been  able  to  attain  is  the  fall 
of  heathenism."  Yet  we  may  add  that  it  did  not  do  even 
that.  For  antiquity  had  not  the  strength  to  shatter  its  own 
rejected  idols.  The  final  blow  came  from  the  pierced 
hand. 

The  apostolic  fidelity  needs  not  to  be  told.  It  stands 
recorded  in  the  Acts  and  Epistles  of  the  apostles.  He  who 
had  created  the  opportunity  and  sent  his  Son,  sent  also 
the  Holy  Spirit  at  Pentecost.  Thereafter  the  persecuted 
church,  for  the  first,  last,  sole  time  in  its  history,  was  the 
great  missionary,  needing  no  society  for  propaganda,  for  it 
was  that  itself.  There  is  a  mystery  about  the  origin  of 
many  Christian  communities,  such  as  that  of  Damascus, 
Rome,  Gaul,  and  Britain,  which  is  explained  only  in  this 


Providence  in  Missions  13 

wa}'.  As  is  to-day  alleged  of  the  Mohammedans,  every  con- 
vert was  a  missionary.  The  merchantman,  the  servant,  man 
or  maid,  the  captive  hostage  or  slave,  the  Christian  wife,  all 
were  true  to  their  opportunity ;  all  carried  their  faith  with 
them,  and  even  tlirough  silence  proclaimed  it  to  the  world 
about  them.  Yes,  the  absent  and  the  dead  did  the  same 
work,  when  the  story  of  the  one  exiled  and  the  other  mar- 
tyred for  his  faith  proved  to  some  inquirer  the  message  of 
salvation.  At  the  head  of  all  these  w^ere  the  apostles  and 
their  companions,  who  waited  for  no  compulsion  to  scatter 
them  among  the  dispersed,  but  went  forth  like  blazing 
torches  to  set  the  world  on  lire  with  Christian  love.  No 
sooner  had  these  open  doors  been  entered  than  the  second 
great  opportunity  came  with  the  irruption  and  distribution 
of  the  northern  tribes.  It  was  another  of  tliose  great  prov- 
idential migrations  of  population,  of  which  history  is  full. 

It  came  neither  too  early  nor  too  late.  The  work  of 
Greece,  of  Rome,  of  Judea,  had  been  finished  ;  the  work  of 
Jesus  was  begun.  For  four  centuries,  along  a  frontier  of 
two  thousand  miles,  the  Roman  and  the  Teuton  faced  one 
another.  There  was  constant  contact  and  interchange  be- 
tween Christian  Rome  and  the  rude,  hardy,  simple  northern 
tribes.  Missionaries  like  Ulfilas  and  Severinus  wandered 
forth  among  them,  to  find  their  hearts  strangely  unfettered 
and  unoccupied.  Captives  were  taken  on  both  sides.  The 
pagan  captives  learned  in  Rome,  and  returned  to  tell  their 
countrymen,  what  they  found  the  Christian  captives  had  al- 
ready been  teaching  in  the  wild  northern  woods.  Rome's 
hired  legions,  too,  were  constantly  ministered  to  by  holy 
men,  who  brought  them,  while  they  fought,  the  message  of 
peace.  It  is  touching  to  think  of  Bishop  Ulfilas,  with  his 
Goths,  refusins:   to  translate  for  them  the  four  books  of 


14  Modern  Missions  hi  the  East 

Kings,  because,  forsooth,  they  needed  the  bit  more  than  the 
spur.  Thus  the  northern  hearts  were  moved  before  they 
took  Rome,  till  at  last  they  came,  they  saw,  and  they  were 
conquered,  melting  away  into  Christianity  so  quietly  and  so 
swiftly  that  hardly  "a  legend  or  a  record  remains  to  tell 
the  tale."  Here,  among  these  primitive  tribes,  there  were 
traits  of  personality,  independence,  and  obedience,  of  man- 
hood, and  yet  more  of  womanhood,  which  made  good  soil 
for  the  gospel  seed. 

Yet  it  was  only  an  enduring  fidelity  that  mastered  this 
opportunity.  It  took  all  the  fiery  zeal  of  the  Celtic  Church, 
aided  by  the  organizing  power  of  Augustine  and  the  Ro- 
man missionaries,  on  to  the  close  of  the  seventh  century  to 
evangelize  Britain.  Winfred,  called  the  father  of  Christian 
civilization  in  Germany,  died  a  martyr  on  the  shores  of  the 
Zuyder  Zee.  "Nor,"  says  Dr.  Maclear,  "did  his  loving 
disciples  and  successors  find  the  work  less  arduous,  less 
liable  to  constant  disappointment.  The  whole  of  the  latter 
half  of  the  eighth  century  is  a  record  of  alternate  success 
and  defeat.  Now  a  fresh  outpost  is  established,  now  it 
disappears  before  a  desolating  inroad  of  heathen  Saxons. 
Now  a  church  is  built,  now  it  is  levelled  with  the  ground 
by  the  same  remorseless  invaders  ;  nor  was  it  till,  with  in- 
domitable determination,  Charlemagne  had  pushed  his  con- 
quests from  the  Drimel  to  the  Lippe,  from  the  Weser  to 
the  Elbe,  and  thence  to  the  shores  of  the  Baltic,  that  the 
wild  world  of  the  eighth  century  could  be  lifted  out  of  the 
slough  of  barbarism,  and  the  civilizing  work  of  intrepid 
missionaries  could  proceed  with  any  real  effect." 

There  was  yet  another  enlargement  of  opportunity  when, 
after  this  long  struggle  with  the  Celtic,  Teutonic,  and 
Scandinavian  tribes,  the  way  was  opened  in  the  latter  half 


Providence  in  3fissions  15 

of  the  ninth  century  to  the  Shavonian  tribes.  Here,  too,  it 
was  only  by  the  same  bold,  unflagging  faithfulness  that  the 
gospel  won  the  day.  It  passed  quickly  from  Bulgaria  to 
Moravia,  and  thence  to  Bohemia  and  Russia.  But  in  Po- 
land, Lithuania,  Pomerania,  the  fight  seemed  almost  hope- 
less, the  opportunity  not  to  exist.  It  is  passing  strange  to 
read  that  in  a.d.  1230  "human  sacrifices  were  still  being 
offered  up  in  Prussia  and  Lithuania  in  honor  of  Potrimpos, 
the  god  of  corn  and  fruits,  and  Picullus,  the  god  of  the 
nether  world  ;  while  infanticide  w\as  so  common  that  all  the 
daughters  in  a  family  were  frequently  put  to  death ;  ser- 
pents and  lizards  were  objects  of  worship,  and  male  and 
female  slaves  were  burned  with  the  dead  bodies  of  their 
master,  together  with  his  horses  and  hounds,  hawks  and 
armor."  Or,  again,  how^  terribly  confused  are  Christianity 
and  bloody  paganism  in  the  account  that  "  when  the  body 
of  Rolf  the  Ganger,  who  had  accepted  Neustria  and  Chris- 
tianity together  for  himself  and  his  Norse  followers,  was  to 
be  buried,  the  gifts  of  the  monasteries  for  the  repose  of 
his  soul  were  accompanied  by  the  sacrifice  of  one  hundred 
human  victims." 

Yet  the  work  went  on,  though  serpent  worship  was  still 
prevalent  in  Lithuania  in  the  fifteenth  century,  and  though 
Lapland  was  not  won  until  the  sixteenth  or  even  seven- 
teenth century.  It  was  only  constancy,  devotion  unto 
death,  and  a  continuous  pressure  of  the  gospel  upon  the 
world,  that  accomplished  the  evangelization  of  Europe, 
even  with  all  the  providential  preparations,  disjDcrsions,  and 
migrations. 

Through  it  all,  God  showed  that  he  could  preserve  as  well 
as  prepare.  Speaking  of  the  tenth  century,  Bishop  Light- 
foot  says:  "I  can  compare  the  condition  of  the  church  at 


16  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

this  epocli  to  nothing  else  but  the  fate  of  the  prisoner  in 
the  story,  as  he  awakens  to  the  fact  that  the  walls  of  his 
iron  den  are  closing  in  upon  him,  and  shudders  to  think  of 
the  inevitable  end.  From  all  sides  the  heathen  and  the 
infidel  were  tightening  their  grip  upon  Christendom.  On 
the  north  and  west  the  pagan  Scandinavians  hanging  about 
every  coast,  and  pouring  in  at  every  inlet ;  on  the  east  the 
pagan  Hungarians,  swarming  like  locusts,  and  devastating 
Europe  from  the  Baltic  to  the  Alps ;  on  the  south  and  south- 
east the  infidel  Saracen,  pressing  on  and  on  with  their 
victorious  hosts.  It  seemed  as  if  every  pore  of  life  were 
choked,  and  Christendom  must  be  stifled  and  smothered  in 
the  fatal  embrace.  But  Christendom  revived,  flourished, 
spread." 

The  methods  of  these  mediaeval  missions  were  full  of  in- 
struction, both  for  imitation  and  avoidance. 

The  missionaries  were  nearly  all  monks.  They  often 
went  forth  like  Christ  and  his  apostles,  in  companies  of 
twelve,  with  a  thirteenth  as  leader,  and  became  pioneers  of 
civilization  as  well  as  of  Christianity,  tilling  the  soil  and 
subduing  wild  nature  as  w^ell  as  wild  hearts.  Seven  such 
companies  of  thirteen  are  named  in  the  sixth  and  seventh 
centuries  alone.  Brotherhoods  and  sisterhoods  had  flour- 
ished among  the  Druids,  and  before  them,  and  seemed  con- 
genial to  the  soil.  The  communities  formed  by  them  were 
not  unlike  the  Christian  villages  of  Southern  India,  or  the 
South  Seas,  or  the  Moravian  settlements  in  Greenland  or 
South  Africa.  The  monastery  was  not  one  great  building, 
but  a  village  of  huts  on  a  river  or  island,  with  a  church,  a 
common  eating-hall,  a  mill,  a  hospice,  and  a  surrounding 
wall  of  earth  or  stone.  Thither  men  came  and  invited 
others  who  could  not  maintain  the  habits  of  their  new  life 


Providence  in  3Iissio7is  17 

in  heathen  homes.  Here  tliey  concentrated  their  strength. 
They  ploughed  and  fished,  felled  trees  and  tended  cattle, 
cared  for  the  sick  and  poor,  trained  the  children  and  the 
clergy,  went  out  as  evangelists,  lingered  as  pastors,  returned 
and  copied  the  Scriptures,  while  they  received  and  pro- 
tected their  new  converts.  Very  unlike  was  this  to  the 
oriental  or  modern  idea  of  monastic  life.  But  lona  and 
Lindisfarne  seem  to  have  been  the  type  of  just  what  was 
needed  for  those  times. 

Throughout  there  was  a  striking  absence  of  vernacular  lit- 
erature, and  great  anxiety  to  retain  the  Latin  language  for 
the  Scripture  and  liturgy,  though  the  mother  tongue  was 
never  entirely  banished  from  the  Anglo-Saxon  service.  Mir- 
acle-plays also  took  a  prominent  part  in  their  worship.  Con- 
versions were  largely  national  instead  of  individual,  and,  as 
a  result,  frequently  violent  rather  than  peaceable,  and  some- 
times of  short  duration.  In  answer  to  the  often-pressed 
command,  "Coge  entrare" — compel  them  to  enter  in — some 
milder  spirits  added,  "  verbis,  non  verberibus  " — with  words, 
not  blows — but  it  availed  little.  "When  Clovis,  Vladimir, 
and  other  savage  chieftains  were  converted,  there  followed 
the  wholesale  baptism  of  their  tribes.  We  read,  for  in- 
stance, how  Russian  peasants  were  driven  into  the  Dnieper 
by  Cossack  whips,  and  baptized  by  force.  Norway  was 
converted  in  the  tenth  and  eleventh  centuries  by  the  force 
and  craft  of  its  kings.  It  was  only  the  Reformation  that 
reached  the  heart  of  Norway.  Charlemagne  fought  the 
savage  Saxons  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  well  as  into  his 
own.  It  was  always  baptism  or  battle  with  him  and  many 
other  Christian  chiefs. 

It  is  not  strange,  then,  that  while  England  was  evangelized 
in  less  than  a  century  through  the  combined  efforts  of  the 


18  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

Culdee  and  Latin  churches,  yet  in  various  Saxon  kingdoms 
in  the  south  of  England  there  was  for  some  time  a  pretty 
reo'ular  alternation  of  Christianity  and  heathendom.  A  hea- 
then king,  so  the  process  is  described,  becomes  Christian, 
and  forthwith  all  his  subjects  are  Christian,  He  returns 
to  heathenism,  or  dies,  and  is  succeeded  by  a  heathen,  and 
no  Christians  are  found.  Such  is  purely  national  conver- 
sion. Yet  a  Scotch  writer  says  :  "  I  doubt  whether  England 
now  sends  as  many  missionaries  to  all  the  world,  as  Eng- 
land at  the  end  of  the  seventh  and  beginning  of  the  eighth 
centuries  sent  to  Frisia  alone.  Certainly  from  Scotland 
not  as  many  go  out  now  as  went  from  our  shores  at  the 
beginning  of  the  seventh  century." 

This  wholesale  conversion  of  peoples  may  be  regarded  as 
a  kind  of  national  infant  baptism,  after  which  the  baptized 
were  handed  over  to  the  instruction  of  the  church,  i.e.,  of 
the  clergy,  for  church  meant  clergy. 

Even  in  this  way  the  conversion  of  Germany  was  a  work 
of  several  centuries,  from  the  second  to  the  eighth.  But 
northeastern  Germany  (Prussians  and  Slaves)  was  heathen 
until  the  eleventh  and  thirteenth. 

A  startling  interruption  to  the  progress  of  the  gospel 
broke  in  with  the  rise  of  Mohammedanism,  which  either 
extinguished  the  oriental  churches,  or  depressed  them  into 
a  tolerated  insignificance.  Already  corrupt,  they  were  in- 
capable of  such  a  conquest  over  the  infidel  as  the  Latin 
church  had  won  over  the  pagans. 

Then  followed  a  movement,  both  in  its  character  and 
its  extent  among;  the  most  remarkable  that  the  world  has 
seen.  We  may  not  refuse  to  call  the  Crusades  a  great 
mission  movement,  a  great  mission  enthusiasm.  However 
worldly  motives  may  have  mingled  with  the  zeal  of  the 


Providence  in  Missions  19 

church,  however  that  zeal  may  have  been  misdirected  and 
perverted,  using  the  sword  of  the  flesh  instead  of  the 
sword  of  tlie  Spirit,  seeking  the  rescue  of  the  tomb  rather 
than  of  the  faith  of  its  Lord,  yet  it  was  a  true  uprising 
and  outrushing  of  the  missionary  spirit  of  Christianity. 
The  new  life  had  been  checked  in  its  expansive  work, 
stripped  of  its  sacred  places  and  original  seat.  It  had  been 
threatened  at  the  very  centres  of  its  power.  The  iron 
walls  were  contracting  with  every  century.  Just  because 
it  was  irrepressibly  expansive,  and  with  the  instinct  that  it 
would  be  slain  if  it  should  be  stayed,  the  hemmed-in  cur- 
rent rose  in  a  flood  and  dashed  itself  in  fury  against  the 
opposing  walls.  Defeat  ensued.  With  all  their  incidental 
benefits,  the  Crusades  brought  no  mission  conquests  for 
Christ.  The  church  was  to  win  its  victories  on  other  fields, 
and  in  different  ways.  The  Crusades  ended  in  the  Inquisi- 
tion, which,  despairing  of  the  conversion,  sought  the  com- 
pulsion of  Moors,  Jews,  and  heretics.  Yet  they  may  be 
counted  among  God's  preliminaries.  They  opened  the 
larger  East,  made  Europe  more  cosmopolitan,  prepared  the 
way  for  Loyola  and  the  Jesuits. 

The  modern  and  world-wide  opportunity  began  with  the 
discovery  of  the  new  West,  and  the  recovery  of  the  old 
East.  What  a  providential  coincidence  of  the  men  and  the 
dates !  Columbus  and  Vasco  da  Gama !  Both  seek  the 
East.  But  the  one  sails  out  to  America,  the  other  rounds 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  Vasco  da  Gama  takes  up  for 
completion"  that  movement  of  dominion  from  the  West  into 
the  East  which  was  begun  by  Alexander  and  the  Romans, 
attempted  by  the  Crusaders,  and  is  continued  at  this  present 
day  by  the  nations  of  Europe  ;  while  Columbus  inaugurated 
that  movement  of  population  from  the  East  into  the  West 


20  3Iodern  Missions  in  the  East 

wliicli  is  at  its  height  in  our  times.  Thus  pagan  Asia  and 
barbarous  America  were  brought  at  the  same  time  close  to 
the  heart  of  Christian  Europe.  It  is  another  of  those 
strange  coincidences  that  even  at  the  time  when  the  univer- 
sal opportunity  opened,  the  men  were  living  who  were  to 
inspire  the  church  with  a  new  and  loftier  fidelity  which 
should  finally  prove  itself  true  to  its  responsibility.  Within 
a  quarter  of  a  century  after  the  sailing  of  Columbus  the 
Reformation  had  begun. 

The  same  century,  too,  which  saw  the  world  opened 
wide  before  the  church,  saw  also  a  new  and  marvellous 
instrument  for  diffusing  the  truth  put  into  the  hands  of 
the  church ;  an  instrument  which,  when  applied,  did  more 
to  facilitate  her  communication  with  men  of  all  classes 
and  tongues  than  anything  which  has  come  to  man  since 
he  first  received  the  gift  of  speech.  I  mean  the  art  of 
printing.  That  simple  invention  made  it  possible  for  the 
Bible  to  be  for  the  first  time  in  very  truth  the  People's 
Book,  and  for  a  Christian  literature  to  leaven  all  ranks. 
As  the  Bible  was  the  first  book  printed,  so  the  press 
became  the  basis  of  our  great  world-wide  Bible  and  Tract 
Societies.  This  simple  instrument  gives  a  more  character- 
istic stamp  to  modern  missions,  in  their  difference  from  all 
that  has  preceded,  than  anything  else  that  can  be  named. 

Closely  connected  with  this,  however,  as  a  part  of  the 
great  opportunity  in  preparation,  was  the  revival  of  classic 
and  linguistic  studies  in  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  cen- 
turies. It  brought  the  church  into  nearer  contact  with  the 
original  Scriptures,  fitted  it  for  the  acquisition  of  oriental 
languages,  for  appreciating  the  spirit  of  alien  peoples,  and 
for  translating  the  Bible  into  all  tongues. 

There  was  one  other  force  which  was  needed  to  fully 


Providence  in  Missions  21 

equip  the  church  for  its  universal  activity,  and  to  draw  the 
nations  oMhe  world  together  into  a  net,  as  the  peoples  of 
old  had  been  drawn  into  the  Gra^co-Roman  Empire.  That 
was  the  power  of  steam,  which  was  to  bind  the  lands 
together  -with  bands  of  steel,  turn  the  oceans  into  a  Medi- 
terranean, make  the  locomotive  an  emissary  of  God's  king- 
dom, and  the  steamer  a  morning-star  to  herald  the  day. 
That  invention  was  not  ready  to  begin  its  task  of  annihilat- 
ing space  until  the  dawn  of  the  nineteenth  century.  But 
it  was  ready  in  time,  for  not  until  then  was  the  purified 
church  itself  roused  to  a  fidelity  grand  enough  to  under- 
take the  work  for  which  God  had  been  preparing  this 
equipment.  It  was  in  1807,  while  the  young  men  at 
Williamstown  were  praying  and  studying  about  missions, 
that  Robert  Fulton  w^as  making  the  first  trip  of  the  Cler- 
mont from  New  York  to  Albany. 

But  the  great  modern  opportunity  which  opened  with 
the  sixteenth  century  was  presented  to  a  corrupt  church,  a 
church  not  faithful  to  its  Lord.  How,  then,  could  it  ex- 
pect to  establish  his  kingdom?  Yet  in  its  own  way  that 
corrupt  Latin  Church  did  respond  to  the  appeal,  and  with 
a  spirit  that  differenced  it  at  once  from  the  degraded 
oriental  churches  of  the  time.  It  proved  itself  a  mission- 
ary church.  It  accepted  the  universal  missionary  idea.  If 
its  mission  work  had  almost  come  to  a  stand-still  in  the 
fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries,  it  has  never  ceased 
since.  It  is  true  that  a  degenerate  church  cannot  hope 
to  lift  men  above  its  own  level.  It  is  true  that  these 
particular  missions  frequently  served  the  Papacy  rather 
than  Christ,  and  policy  rather  than  truth ;  that  these  mis- 
sion schemes  were  too  often  merely  auxiliary  to  the  con- 
quering and  bloody  schemes  of  grasping  potentates;  that 


23  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

having  sown  corrupt  seed,  often  amid  circumstances  of 
horror  and  atrocity,  the  peoples,  who  throughout  large 
countries  and  even  continents  had  given  a  nominal  ad- 
hesion to  Christ,  have  been  left  in  the  darkness  of  brutal 
ignorance  and  idolatrous  superstitions,  the  prey  of  an  un- 
educated, tyrannical,  and  unscrupulous  priestocracy.  No 
doubt  the  Roman  Church  was  making  strenuous  endeav- 
ors to  recoup  itself,  by  its  missions,  for  its  losses  in  the 
Reformation,  the  Jesuit  order  being  founded  in  1530,  thir- 
teen years  after  Luther  began  his  work. 

But  it  is  also  true  that  that  church  did,  first  of  all,  com- 
prehend the  world- dominating  destiny  of  Christianity; 
that  through  many  of  its  undertakings  there  has  run  a 
strain  of  high  and  heroic  loyalty  to  Christ ;  that  there  are 
no  nobler  records  of  saintly  devotion  on  the  mission  field 
than  those  offered  by  some  of  its  emissaries,  such  as  the 
Jesuits  in  North  America,  and  Xavier  and  his  followers  in 
India,  China,  and  Japan.  To-day,  the  self-denying  auster- 
ity of  the  Roman  Catholic  missionaries  is  one  of  the  things 
held  up  as  a  reproach  to  Protestant  missions.  We  may  be 
sure  that  more  souls  than  we  can  number  have  found  their 
way  to  heaven  through  the  missionary  labors  of  Roman 
Catholic  priests. 

It  is  a  strange  fact  that  the  Reformation  which  renewed 
the  fidelity  of  a  part  of  the  church  to  Christ  did  not  seem 
to  kindle  its  zeal  for  missions.  The  Bible,  after  being  so 
long  shut,  was  open.  There  was  the  field.  Where  were 
the  sowers  to  sow  the  seed?  The  reason  commonly  as- 
signed for  this  neglect  is  the  fact  that  the  Protestant  cause 
was  too  much  occupied  in  struggling,  first  for  bare  exist- 
ence, and  then  for  the  development  of  its  life,  to  be  able 
to  attempt  mission  work.     That  is  not  a  valid  reason.     It 


Providence  in  Jlissions  23 

did  not  hinder  tlic  Apostolic  Church  from  being  missionary. 
We  should  not  allow  its  cogency  if  applied  to  any  of  our 
local  churches.  Least  of  all  would  it  account  for  the  ab- 
sence of  the  mission  thought.  The  truth  is  that  the  reform- 
ers did  not  even  cherish  the  missionary  idea,  and  that  they 
were  largely  prevented  from  doing  so  by  their  being  preoc- 
cupied with  theological  controversies.  The  church  needed 
to  be  brought  yet  nearer  its  Lord,  and  into  fuller  compre- 
hension of  his  plans,  before  it  would  be  equal  to  the  need. 
See  now  how  successive  waves  of  divine  influence  flood 
the  church,  and  how  each  lifts  it  higher  out  of  the  low- 
tide  mud  of  selfishness,  until  it  floats  free  and  loose  in  the 
great  ocean  of  universal  love.  German  pietism,  headed  by 
Spener  and  Francke,  gives  one  grand  uplift.  It  was  dis- 
tinctively missionary  in  its  character.  Francke's  plan  for 
his  institution  at  Halle  was  that  it  should  become  a  univer- 
sal seminary,  where  youths  of  all  lands  should  come,  where 
the  gospel  should  be  taught  in  all  tongues,  and  whence 
messengers  should  return  to  evangelize  all  peoples.  It  was 
from  Halle  that  the  noble  originator  of  Protestant  missions 
to  the  heathen,  the  king  of  Denmark,  after  conference  with 
Francke,  in  1705,  drew  Ziegenbalg  and  Plutschau  forth  to 
the  Tranquebar  mission  in  India.  It  was  Francke  who 
issued  the  reports  and  had  the  control  of  the  work.  And 
it  was  here  that  Count  Zinzendorf  received  the  impulse 
which  made  him  the  head  of  the  Moravian  Brethren,  started 
in  1722,  and  which  to-day  is  one  of  the  most  thoroughly 
missionary  churches  in  the  world.  For  many  decades  after 
that,  it  was  the  land  of  the  Pietists  that  furnished  the  men 
for  missionary  societies  of  whatever  country.  England 
might  organize  the  work  and  raise  the  money,  but  for  many 
years  the  only  men  willing  to  go  out  were  Germans. 


24  Modern  Jlissions  in  the  East 

One  more  great  uplift  was  needed  before  the  church 
would  be  free.  This  came  in  the  revival  of  Wesley  and 
Whitefield.  Wesley  died  in  1791.  It  was  in  the  very 
next  year  that  William  Carey  preached  his  great  mission 
sermon,  "  Expect  great  things  from  God ;  attempt  great 
things  for  God  •,"  a  sermon  which  proved  the  starting-point 
for  the  first  purely  English  missionary  society,  and  thus 
really  began  the  era  of  modern  missions.  One  of  the 
strongest  influences  in  preparing  Carey  for  this  work  was  a 
small  volume  of  Jonathan  Edwards's,  published  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  last  century.  That  same  spirit  had  wrought  in 
New  England,  resulting  in  the  consecration  out  of  which, 
early  in  this  century,  sprang  our  own  societies.  Thus,  at 
last,  the  times  were  ripe.  The  work  was  there,  the  men 
were  there.  With  new  meaning  the  church  could  pray, 
"Thy  kingdom  come."  Yet  even  when  thus  floating 
free,  it  is  strange  to  note  the  timidity  of  missionaries  in 
launching  forth,  and  the  various  delays  that  are  made  be- 
fore they  are  willing  to  heave  anchor  and  away  to  the  open 
sea. 

The  truth  is  that,  with  the  exception  of  the  Moravians, 
almost  all  extension  of  the  kingdom  of  God  prior  to  the 
time  of  Carey  was  dependent  on  the  extension  of  earthly 
kingdoms.  The  mission  enterprise  was  closely  connected 
with  political  or  commercial  or  exploring  enterprises.  It 
followed  the  discoveries  or  the  trade  or  the  conquests  or 
the  colonies  of  the  leading  powers. 

First,  in  modern  times,  came  the  supremacy  of  Spain  and 
Portugal,  and  it  was  Spanish  and  Portuguese  missions  that 
flourished.  The  founder  of  the  Jesuit  order  was  a  Span- 
iard. It  was  from  this  centre  that  various  orders  went 
forth  to  take  possession  of  Mexico,  Central  America,  Brazil, 


Providence  i)i  3Ilssions  25 

Peru,  and  the  AVest  Indies,  while  Portugal  planted  the 
church  in  the  East  Indies.  The  sixteenth  century  com- 
pleted the  triumph  of  the  Roman  Catholic  propaganda. 
For  then  came  the  supremacy  of  Greater  Holland,  as  mis- 
tress of  the  seas,  and  with  it  the  spread  of  her  missions  to 
Ceylon,  Java,  and  other  islands.  The  sway  of  Greater 
Britain  succeeded,  and  she  and  her  American  daughter 
have  lonof  been  leaders  in  missions.  The  French  regime 
in  North  America  was  marked  by  French  missions,  in  the 
same  way. 

Now  that  Germany,  supreme  on  land,  has  begun  to  aim 
at  maritime  power  and  is  spreading  her  colonies  through- 
out the  world,  we  should  expect  to  see  her  missions  ex- 
pand. Nor  is  our  expectation  disappointed,  for  never  has 
the  missionary  purpose  been  so  strong  and  general  in  Ger- 
many as  now.  Old  societies  are  revived,  new  societies  are 
formed  ;  Church  and  State  alike  encourage  them  ;  patriot- 
ism and  philanthropy  conspire  to  lend  their  aid.  For  it  is 
contact  that  brings  the  sense  both  of  responsibility  and 
power.  Contact  is  the  great  opportunity.  Germany  of 
the  Reformation  had  no  such  contact  with  the  heathen  as 
had  Spain,  no  such  foreign  development,  or  it  might,  too, 
have  been  a  great  propagandist.  Much  depends  on  the 
foreign  spirit  of  a  people,  as  well  as  on  its  Christian  spirit. 

Thus  in  nearly  all  the  movements  of  modern  centuries, 
missions,  like  trade,  have  followed  the  flag,  depending  on 
the  state  for  protection,  patronage,  and  propagation,  which 
expected  aid  the  state  has  often  freely,  if  not  always  wise- 
ly, bestowed.  They  have  been  purely  national,  often  gov- 
ernmental missions.  It  is  only  the  highest  consecration 
that  flings  itself  out  upon  the  world,  and  makes  alike  its 
own  contact  and  opportunity.     The  great  development  of 


26  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

the  present  century  lias  come  because  the  church  has  at  last 
ceased  hugging  well-known  shores,  and  has  put  out  into 
the  broad  open  sea ;  meaning  to  circumnavigate  the  globe  ; 
abandoning  dependence  on  familiar  landmarks ;  trusting, 
at  length,  to  the  compass,  the  midday  sun,  and  the  Master, 
who  is  with  us  in  the  ship ;  glad  of  the  shelter  of  the  flag, 
wherever  it  is  found  flying,  but  never  lingering  long  be- 
neath its  shadow.  The  resources  of  the  church  are  not  in 
any  kingdom  of  this  world,  but  in  her  Lord  and  herself. 

The  Dutch,  the  English,  and  the  Danish  missions  mark 
three  stages  of  advance  towards  this  ideal.  When  Holland 
was  first  mistress  of  the  seas,  she  made  her  colonies  gov- 
ernment missions.  The  result  was  400,000  government 
Christians,  and  perversions  ending  the  work  even  faster 
than  conversions  had  begun  it.  In  a  little  more  than  one 
generation  after  religious  disabilities  were  removed,  not  a 
single  professing  Christian  was  to  be  found  as  a  relic  of 
the  Dutch  missions. 

The  English  in  North  America  show  the  second  stage. 
The  conversion  of  the  Indians  was  a  leading  aim  in  emi- 
gration. The  colonial  seal  of  Massachusetts  in  1628  had 
the  device  of  an  Indian  upon  it,  with  a  motto  in  his  mouth, 
"  Come  over  and  help  us."  John  Eliot,  "  the  first  of  the 
great  Protestant  missionaries,"  did  a  wise  and  noble  work 
among  the  Indians.  But  he  and  they  all  did  it  as  minis- 
ters of  English  congregations,  and  their  work  was  con- 
nected with  and  limited  by  the  national  influence.  "  The 
colonial  churches,  brought  into  contact  with  pagans,  recog- 
nized the  duty  of  trying  to  convert  them  ;  but  there  was  as 
yet  no  idea  of  making  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  the  sole 
motive  for  entering  heathen  lands." 

In  1*721,  Hans  Egede  sailed  from  Denmark  for  Green- 


Providence  in  Missions  27 

land  with  the  aim  of  evangelizing  it.  His  method  was 
pecuHar,  and  marks  the  third  stage,  or  transition  from  gov- 
ernment to  ecclesiastical  missions.  He  had  organized  a 
trading  company  which,  under  protection  of  the  Danish 
government,  was  to  join  him  in  making  a  settlement  in 
Greenland ;  they  with  the  aim  of  establishing  the  rule  of 
their  country  there,  while  he  established  the  rule  of  Christ. 
"  In  both  objects  he  succeeded,"  says  a  writer.  "  lie  is 
alike  the  apostle  of  Greenland,  and  the  founder  of  Danish 
sovereignty  in  it."  It  was  just  after  this  that  the  Moravian 
work  began,  and  set  the  whole  church  an  example  by  send- 
ing their  members,  untrammelled  by  nationalism,  into  every 
part  of  the  world,  "measuring  their  obligations  not  by  the 
extent  of  a  nation's  sway,  but  by  the  extent  of  Christ's 
command."  It  is  the  difference  between  converting  the 
negroes  who  have  been  brought  to  the  United  States,  and 
establishing  missions  in  South  Africa. 

With  this  century,  then,  the  true  universality  of  the 
mission  work  was  made  clear  and  the  work  itself  properly 
begun.  The  opportunity,  however,  has  gone  on  enlarging. 
Captain  Cook's  voyages  and  death  thrilled  men  with  a 
fresh  sense  of  the  breadth  and  needs  of  the  world,  and  it 
was  the  reading  of  his  books  which  took  many  of  the  first 
missionaries  to  the  South  Sea  Islands.  The  slave-trade  led 
some  to  Africa.  The  British  rule  in  India  led  others  to 
that  land. 

How  fall  have  the  last  fifty  years  been  of  new  discover- 
ies, which  have  stimulated  to  fresh  endeavors !  The  de- 
ciphering of  old  inscriptions,  the  recovery  of  lost  languages, 
the  disclosure  of  ancient  Scri})tures  and  religions,  the  great 
geographical  and  political  movements  which  have  in  rapid 
succession  opened  India,  China,  Japan,  Africa,  and  Corea 


28  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

to  our  undertaking!  The  mind  is  overwlielmed  at  the 
display  of  the  Divine  power  and  plan,  the  heart  is  filled 
with  wonder  and  with  awe.  Fidelity  once  awakened  and 
turned  into  the  field,  the  opportunity  and  fidelity  act  and 
react,  each  creating  the  other^  When  the  first  English 
missionaries  went  to  India,  there  seemed  no  room  for  them. 
They  were  driven  out  to  the  Danish  possessions  in  Seram- 
pore.  But  they  pressed  in  upon  the  country  until  the  Eng. 
lish  people  joined  them,  and  broke  the  restricting  barrier 
down.  They  made  their  way.  Now,  the  great  opportunity 
to  reach  the  women  of  India  and  of  China  has  come  simul- 
taneously with  the  marvellous  development  of  both  wom- 
an's study  and  woman's  work  at  home.  The  physicians 
and  the  teachers  have  been  training  here ;  lo  !  their  work 
is  ready  for  them  there. 

God  has  made  great  dispersions  of  peoples  before,  but 
never  so  great  as  now.  Steam  and  electricity  are  vast  cos- 
mic forces,  pulsing  around  the  globe,  distributing  and  re- 
con  centi;ating  all  the  elements  of  life  with  marvellous  speed 
and  power.  These  are  now  the  agents  by  which  God  scat- 
ters populations  in  strange  parts  of  the  earth,  and  causes 
all  races  to  mingle.  Emigration,  colonization,  exploration, 
and  commerce  set  everything  in  motion.  These  lines  God 
is  to  draw  together  again  into  a  net,  in  whose  meshes  all 
nations  of  the  earth  will  be  found.  Our  task  is  to  see  that 
they  are  interlaced  in  a  divine  confederacy.  He  is  flinging 
Europe  into  America  in  the  tides  of  immigration ;  flinging 
the  Chinese  among  all  the  isles  of  the  sea  and  into  our  land 
by  laws  which  legislation  may  retard  but  cannot  repeal. 
Then  he  casts  England  out  into  India  to  rule  and  to  teach. 
He  spreads  Russia  over  a  great  part  of  Asia ;  scatters  the 
Anglo-Saxon  people  round  the  world ;  pushes  Europe  down 


Providence  in  Missions  29 

on  Africa,  to  explore,  to  rule,  and  to  save  or  to  ruin  it. 
Diplomatic  connections  bind  us,  where  nothing  else  does. 
We  are  intertwined  in  cosmic  relations.  Our  duties  to 
mankind  press  upon  us.     Have  we  a  fidelity  to  match  ? 

Nothing  can  be  more  plain  than  that  God  is  bent  on  the 
conquest  of  the  world.  He  shapes  history  in  the  interests 
of  his  church,  lie  has  mapped  out  the  world  for  his  king- 
dom. We  have  not  to-day  to  create  the  opportunity.  It 
is  here.  We  have  not  to  draw  the  inspiring  presence  from 
afar.  He  is  at  our  doors.  All  we  have  to  do  is  to  accept 
the  double  gift  of  the  field  and  the  force  and  go  forth  to 
overcome  the  world. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE     PRINCIPLES    OF    MISSIONS THE    MISSION    AIM,    SCOPE, 

MOTIVE,    CALL,    FITNESS,    AND    FITTING 

Our  swift  tour  througli  some  of  the  great,  central,  criti- 
cal mission  fields  of  the  world  is  completed.  Like  a  natu- 
ralist returning  from  an  exploring  cruise,  we  bring  back 
with  us  a  full  cargo  of  specimen  mission  facts.  But,  as  in 
liis  case,  our  labor  is  only  begun.  It  is  not  enough  to 
dump  our  load  at  port  and  call  its  total  bulk  the  net  gain 
of  our  trip.  Our  collected  facts  must  be  analyzed,  classi- 
fied, labelled,  organized.  Their  significance  must  be  found, 
and,  since  this  is  a  moral  sphere,  their  application  must  be 
made. 

In  other  words,  there  is  a  Science  of  Missions.  By  an 
inductive  study  of  the  facts  and  experiences  of  the  past 
and  present,  the  near  and  remote,  it  discovers  the  under- 
lying principles  which  pervade  the  whole  Avork.  These 
teachings  of  experience  it  compares  with  the  primal  im- 
pulse of  faith,  from  which  the  whole  proceeds.  Assur- 
ing itself  of  their  congruousness  and  coincidence,  it  then 
reaches  the  illuminated  standpoint  from  which  it  may  re- 
survey  and  control  the  work.  With  ever-growing  clearness 
it  applies  to  each  detail  the  principles  and  methods  thus 
suggested  by  faith  and  confirmed  by  experience.  The  mis- 
sion undertaking  becomes  an  orderly,  continuous,  organ- 
ized appropriation  of  the  world  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


Tlie  Principles  of  Missions  31 

In  tliis  chapter  we  shall  consider  such  preliminary,  fun- 
damental points  as  the  mission  am,  scope^  motive^  call,  fit- 
ness, and  fittinf/. 

What  is  tlie  aim  of  Christian  missions  ?  This  is  the 
clew  to  the  whole  thino^.  The  end  shapes  the  beginning 
and  directs  every  step  along  the  way. 

Is  the  aim  the  conversion  of  sinners  ?  That  is  an  aim  of 
the  church  in  all  its  operations,  at  home  and  abroad  ;  hence 
it  is  no  characteristic  mark  of  missions. 

Is  the  aim  the  conversion  of  the  world  ?  That  is  far  too 
vague.  It  says  at  once  too  much  and  too  little.  The  mis- 
sion must  not  stop  with  the  conversion  of  heathen.  It 
must  seek  their  edification  and  sanctification.  It  must  not 
stop  with  individuals.  It  must  build  them  up  into  a  Chris- 
tian society. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  is  no  warrant  founded  on 
Scripture,  reason,  or  experience  to  suppose  that  the  world 
is  to  be  even  converted,  far  less  Christianized,  through  dis- 
tinctive mission  work  as  contrasted  with  direct  ministra- 
tions of  the  church. 

God's  great  agent  for  the  spread  of  his  kingdom  is  the 
church.  In  every  land  he  operates  through  the  church  ; 
and  missions  exist  distinctly  for  the  church.  They  have 
both  their  source  and  their  aim  in  that.  They  are  the  re- 
productive faculty  of  the  parent  church,  the  constituting 
agency  of  the  infant  church.  Every  church  should  work 
out  into  a  mission  ;  every  mission  should  work  out  into  a 
church.  The  conversion  of  souls  is  a  necessary  part  of 
this.  The  primary  aim  of  missions  is  to  preach  the  gospel 
in  all  lands,  the  ultimate  aim  is  to  plant  the  church  in 
all  lands.  When  they  have  done  that,  their  work  is  accom- 
plished.    Then  the  church  of  each  land  thus  planted  must 


32  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

win  its  own  people  to  Christ.  The  converts  must  convert. 
The  new  church  must  evangelize  and  Christianize.  India, 
China,  Japan  are  each  to  be  turned  to  Christ,  not  by 
missions,  but  by  the  Indian,  the  Chinese,  the  Japanese 
churches,  when  these  churches  shall  have  been  securely 
planted  by  missions. 

This  ultimate  aim  of  missions  was  recognized  in  a  tract 
published  by  the  American  Board  in  1856.  The  Rev. 
Henry  Venn,  former  Secretary  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  a  little  later  expressed  it  in  a  classic  form.  The 
object  of  missions,  he  says,  is  "the  development  of  native 
churches  with  a  view  to  their  ultimate  settlement  upon  a 
self-supporting,  self-governing,  and  self-extending  system. 
When  this  settlement  has  been  effected  the  mission  will 
have  attained  its  euthanasia,  and  the  missionary  and  all 
missionary  agency  can  be  transferred  to  '  the  regions  be- 
yond.'" 

Yet  this  aim  has  not  been  clearly  understood  by  our 
churches  or  our  people  at  large.  Very  many  false  ideas 
about  the  work,  entertained  at  home,  very  many  mistakes 
made  on  the  ground,  may  be  directly  traced  to  a  miscon- 
ception of  the  mission  aim. 

Our  ideas  of  the  work  are  apt  to  be  too  atomistic.  "VVe 
simply  keep  tally  of  the  number  of  converts  when  we 
ought  to  be  planning  for  the  organization  of  young,  healthy 
churches.  We  judge  missions  by  the  annual  number  and 
average  cost  of  each  convert,  as  if,  quite  apart  from  the 
infinite  value  of  every  soul,  the  worth  of  such  converts  as 
St.  Paul,  Clement,  Ulfilas,  and  St.  Patrick,  or  as  Neesima, 
Nerayan  Sheshadri,  Ahok,  or  K.  M.  Banerjee,  as  apos- 
tles to  their  own  people,  could  be  computed  by  any  mathe- 
matical process. 


The  Principles  of  Missions  33 

This  atomistic  idea  is  what  renders  it  possible  for  the 
claims  of  souls  at  home  to  be  set  up  in  competition  with 
the  claims  of  those  abroad.  It  is  what  gives  the  monot- 
onous aspect  to  a  work  which  is  of  more  thrilling  interest 
than  the  winning  of  earthly  battles  and  the  founding  of 
earthly  empires.  It  accounts  also  for  much  of  the  unfruit- 
f  ulness  and  dependence  of  mission  work. 

Another  evil  resulting  from  ignorance  of  the  true  aim  is 
the  2^^ssimistic  view  often  held  of  the  undertaking.  So 
many  missionaries  for  so  many  souls!  In  China  one  for 
700,000,  in  Japan  one  for  215,000.  How  can  thei/  convert 
the  world?  If  missionaries  were  required  to  do  this,  a 
hundredfold  the  number  would  not  suffice. 

But  the  mathematical  method,  though  important  enough 
in  its  way,  gives  no  proper  test  of  the  character,  progress, 
or  promise  of  the  work.  Missions  are  but  a  step,  though 
the  first,  and  it  may  be  the  longest  single  step  in  the  con- 
version'of  the  world.  The  main  part  of  the  task  devolves 
on  the  native  church  in  each  land. 

Our  part  is  to  organize  individuals  whom  we  may  con- 
vert into  an  indigenous,  independent,  and  expansive  church, 
which  shall  be  the  type  of  a  native  and  reproductive  Chris- 
tianity. We  are  to  found  this  church  on  Christ  and  the 
apostles,  to  train  it  from  the  start  in  the  principles  of 
self-reliance,  self-control,  and  self-propagation.  We  are  to 
develop  its  ministry,  found  its  institutions,  organize  its 
work.  From  that  point  the  attitude  of  the  mission  to  the 
church,  and  of  the  missionary  to  the  native  pastor,  is  to  be 
that  of  John  the  Baptist  to  Jesus:  "He  must  increase, 
but  I  must  decrease." 

The  true  spirit,  therefore,  of  both  mission  and  mission- 
ary is  that  of  self-effacement.     They  must  recognize  from 


34  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

the  start  tliat  tlieir  own  part  in  the  work  is  as  surely  tran- 
sitory as  it  is  necessary.  They  must  labor  with  all  zeal  to 
render  themselves  unimportant,  and  rejoice  over  nothing 
so  much  as  to  find  that  they  are  no  longer  needed  and  can 
be  dispensed  with.  This  temporary  or  scaffolding  charac- 
ter of  mission  work  forms  perhaps  its  most  radical  distinc- 
tion from  all  work  of  the  pastorate  at  home. 

One  other  question  is  peculiarly  pertinent  at  the  present 
time.  Is  the  aim  of  missions  the  "  evangelization  of  the 
world  within  the  present  generation  "  ?  That  is  the  rallying- 
cry  of  some  brilliant,  enthusiastic,  and  devout  friends  of  the 
cause.  Their  contagious  zeal  has  infected  many  others. 
The  student  Volunteer  Movement  is  largely  identified  with 
this  cry.  The  mission  work  is  regarded  as  a  simple  proc- 
lamation like  that  of  King  Ahasuerus.  Hudson  Taylor, 
the  head  of  the  China  Inland  Mission,  estimates  that  in 
China  one  evangelist  could  reach  fifty  families  a  day. 
Then  1000  evangelists  in  1000  days  could  reach  50,000,000 
families,  or  the  whole  population  of  250,000,000  souls. 
Allowing  two  years  for  learning  the  language,  sixty  days  a 
year  for  rest,  and  setting  aside  the  present  force  on  the 
ground  for  emergencies,  all  could  be  done  in  five  years  by 
1000  new  volunteers.  The  same  method  could  be  applied 
to  the  world.  In  this  connection  mighty  outpourings 
of  God's  Spirit  might  be  expected. 

What  are  we  to  say  to  this  plan  ? 

It  is  not  altogether  clear  what  is  meant  by  "  evangel- 
izing the  world."  Some  construe  it  representatively  as 
if  the  gospel  would  have  been  preached  to  all  men  when 
it  has  been  heard  by  a  few  of  their  representatives  in 
each  country  or  community.  But  where  is  the  warrant  for 
this  ? 


The  Princij)les  of  3fissions  35 

Others  believe  that  it  must  be  placed  before  each  indi- 
vidual, but  without  reference  to  results.  "  We  have  all 
responsibility  for  the  proclamation,"  it  is  asserted,  "  none 
for  conversion."  "  Every  volunteer,"  said  one  of  them  at 
their  last  meeting-,  "  believes  that  in  this  generation  the 
gospel  can  be  so  presented  that  the  responsibility  for  the 
salvation  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  will  rest  on  the 
inhabitants  themselves."  Contrast  this  with  the  Moravian 
maxim  that  you  must  teach  men  to  count  three  before  you 
can  tell  them  of  the  Trinity,  and  with  these  words  of  Bishop 
Patteson,  at  work  among  his  Melanesian  islanders  :  "It  is 
very  hard  so  to  speak  of  the  gospel  as  to  give  the  heathen 
man  a  fair  chance  to  accept  what  you  say.  .  .  .  There  are 
no  words  which  convey  the  ideas  of  repentance,  sin,  heart- 
felt confession  of  faith,  etc.  ilow  could  there  be,  when  the 
ideas  do  not  exist !  Yet  somehow  the  language  is  to  be 
made  the  exponent  of  such  ideas."  But  the  difficulties 
placed  in  the  way  of  the  mere  comprehension  of  the  gospel 
by  the  prejudices  of  civilized  heathenism,  as  in  India  and 
China,  are  far  greater  than  those  presented  by  the  igno- 
rance of  barbarous  heathenism.  It  is  said  that  the  Chinese 
language  has  4000  words  for  vices,  passions,  etc.,  and  none 
for  spiritual  graces. 

The  proper  consideration  of  this  topic  would  demand  an 
entire  chapter.  I  can  only  mention  a  few  objections  to 
this  conception  of  the  great  mission  aim  : 

1.  It  ignores  the  time,  labor,  and  skill  required  to  present 
the  gospel  to  the  heathen  as  a  mass  in  such  a  way  that 
they  may  even  begin  to  understand  it.  We  are  at  least 
responsible  for  making  the  gospel  comprehensible  and,  at 
last,  comprehended. 

2.  It  ignores  or  denies  that  measure  of  responsibility 


36  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

which  we  certainly  share  with  God  for  fruits  of  our  labor  in 
conversion. 

3.  It  ignores  the  aim  of  Christianizing  the  world  as  well 
as  evangelizing  it,  and  the  fact  that  this  will  be  be  stand 
quickest  accomplished  through  Christian  institutions  and 
native  ministry  in  each  land. 

4.  And  here  I  find  the  keynote  of  the  whole. 

It  stands  in  the  service  of  certain  premillennial  ideas, 
with  which  it  is  entirely  consistent,  while  with  other 
views  it  is  not  consistent.  If  the  conversion  of  the 
world  may  not  be  expected  by  present  methods,  but  can 
be  accomplished  only  by  the  visible  premillennial  com- 
ing of  Christ;  if  this  advent  waits  for  the  proclamation 
of  the  gospel  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth ;  if  this 
proclamation  is  to  be  made  rather  as  witness-bearing  to 
Christ  than  for  the  sake  of  its  effects  upon  its  hearers,  and 
means  outreaching,  and  not  upbuilding  of  the  kingdom, 
then,  on  these  suppositions,  the  conclusion  is  perfectly 
legitimate'.  "  Put  the  whole  strength  of  the  church  into 
pure  world-wide  evangelization!"  And  such  is  the  posi- 
tion and  consistency  of  the  leading  advocates  of  this 
scheme. 

But  my  complaint  is  that  some  who  do  not  at  all  hold 
these  premises  do  commit  themselves  to  these  conclusions, 
which  for  them  are  inconsistent.  We  welcome  the  enthu- 
siasm for  the  service.  We  are  sure  that  the  work  on  the 
field  will  rectify  many  false  ideals.  But  for  myself  I  be- 
lieve that  should  this  peculiar  view  of  mission  work  domi- 
nate our  mission  societies,  essential  parts  of  the  manifold 
work  would  be  left  undone,  and  the  entire  enterprise  would 
be  put  back  for  a  generation.  Instead  of  the  cry,  "  World- 
wide evangelization !"  which  accepts  no  further  responsi- 


The  Principles  of  Missions  37 

bility  and  awaits  but  little  result,  I  would  substitute  the 
motto  "  World-wide  victory !" — the  world  for  Christ ;  the 
church  in  every  land ;  every  church  a  witness  for  Christ ; 
every  church  more  and  more  triumphant,  till  Christ,  through 
the  church,  shall  rule  over  all ! 

I  count  it  the  richest  acquisition  of  my  world-round 
journey  to  have  reached  some  clearer  discernment  of  this 
mission  aim — the  vital  native  church. 

Thus  conceived,  the  cause  of  foreign  missions  is  at  once 
grand  enough  to  arouse  all  the  enthusiasm  and  employ  all 
the  energies  and  talents  of  the  churches  of  Christendom, 
yet  plain  and  practicable  and  feasible  enough  to  com- 
mand the  approval  both  of  enlightened  faith  and  of  pru- 
dent business  judgment. 

Such  being  the  aim,  what  is  the  scoye  of  missions? 
There  need  be  no  difficulty  in  defining  this.  It  is  simply 
as  broad  as  God's  redemptive  purpose ;  as  broad  as  human- 
ity. The  church  is  to  embrace  all  mankind ;  it  must  prop- 
agate itself  among  all  mankind.  None  are  too  near,  none 
too  remote,  none  too  high,  none  too  low  for  the  gospel. 
The  most  savage  tribes  are  within  the  sphere  of  its  influ- 
ence. Weak,  decaying  races,  whose  extinction  cannot  be 
arrested  and  may  even  seem  hastened  by  the  touch  of  Chris- 
tianity, are  still  to  be  saved,  and  saved  by  the  church.  The 
proudest  races  and  classes  of  Asia  are  within  the  gospel 
scope.  There  may  be  expediency  in  a  certain  order  of 
time,  in  a  certain  proportion  of  labors  among  different 
races,  varying  both  according  to  opportunity  and  to  the 
relations  of  one  race  with  another.  But  all  who  are  not 
within  the  sphere  of  the  Christian  church,  all  heathen,  all 
Mohammedans,  all  Jews,  come  within  the  range  of  mission 
effort. 


38  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

Does  this  scope  include  dead  or  corrupt  nominal  Chris- 
tians ?  If  at  all,  how  far  are  missions  to  be  carried  on 
among  such  people  ?  Some  consider  this  no  field  for  the 
missionary,  and  would  work  only  through  the  corrupt 
churches.  Others  would  proselyte  from  them  and  place 
themselves  in  direct  antagonism  to  their  existing  institu- 
tions. But,  as  throughout,  so  here,  our  clearly  discerned 
aim  will  settle  the  principle.  Christian  judgment  must 
decide  each  particular  case.  If  a  living  church,  in  living 
contact  with  Christ  and  God's  word,  occupy  the  ground, 
missions  are  ruled  out,  even  though  the  pre-existing  church 
may  have  what  we  consider  erroneous  views  and  practices. 

But  if  the  church  be  dead  or  corrupt,  a  scandal  to  infidels 
and  pagans ;  if  it  withhold  the  Word  of  life  and  the  minis- 
trations of  the  gospel  from  the  masses,  casting  a  dark 
shadow  over  a  people  instead  of  shedding  light  upon  them, 
then  the  field  is  open  for  missions.  Whatever  its  historic 
connections,  it  has  lost  its  spiritual  relation  to  Christ,  and  is 
in  some  ways  worse  than  no  church,  because  it  caricatures 
Christianity  and  makes  it  offensive  to  the  moral  sense  of 
men.  What  relations  the  missions  should  assume  to  such 
putrefying  churches  will  depend  mainly  on  those  churches 
themselves.  If  they  will  receive  the  new  impulse  of  life 
that  has  come  throbbing  over  to  them  from  other  lands,  if 
they  will  let  themselves  be  resuscitated  and  restored  to 
living  relations  with  Christ  and  his  work,  then,  by  all 
means,  the  mission  aim  should  be  to  re-establish  the  old 
church.  If,  in  spite  of  antagonism,  any  of  those  churches 
can  be  won  into  a  return,  through  the  stimulating  and  dem- 
onstrating power  of  small  Protestant  communities  drawn 
out  from  among  them  and  living  alongside  of  them,  then 
these  new  Protestant  churches  will  have  served  their  end, 


TJie  Principles  of  Missions  39 

and  their  missionary  founders  may  be  satisfied  with  a  lim- 
ited growth,  perhaps  a  temporary  existence.  But  the  dead 
church  that  will  not  be  revived  must  be  rooted  out  and 
broken  up.  And  it  will  be  rooted  out,  in  time,  by  the 
expulsive  power  of  the  new  life  in  the  new  churches. 

The  Roman  Church  varies  greatly  in  different  lands.  In 
many  it  is  sadly  degenerate.  Yet  it  shows  such  possibili- 
ties of  life  and  growth,  of  piety  and  power,  that  Protestant 
missions  in  Papal  lands  always  seem  to  need  some  special 
justification.  That  justification  they  certainly  have  in  Mex- 
ico, Central  and  South  America,  and  in  Spain.  In  Italy 
our  main  endeavor  should  be  to  strengthen  the  oldWalden- 
sian  Church  and  the  new  Free  Italian  Church,  to  help  them 
unite  and  equip  themselves  for  the  work  of  simply  occupy- 
ing their  own  land.  France  is  not  a  proper  mission  field. 
The  Protestant  Huguenot  Church  is  already  living  and 
thriving  there,  and  our  endeavor  should  be  simply  to  help 
that  in  its  growth.  The  work  of  Miss  De  Broen  and  Dr. 
McAll,  so  promising  and  important,  is  in  fact  simply  auxil- 
iary to  the  French  Protestant  Church,  and  there  seems  little 
question  that  whatever  men  or  funds  may  be  sent  from 
abroad,  its  operations  will  be  more  and  more  merged  into 
the  regular  activities  of  a  vigorous  French  Church.  There 
are  Protestant  churches,  however,  that  seem  dead  or  slum- 
bering. The  church  of  Bohemia  is  one  of  these,  and  the 
American  Board  Mission  in  Prague  is  seeking,  amid  many 
difficulties,  to  bring  the  gospel  to  the  people.  I  was  favor- 
ably impressed  with  what  I  saw  of  its  work.  But  we  must 
be  careful  lest  our  judgment  of  a  church  should  be  mis- 
judgment,  springing  largely  from  differences  of  national 
temperament  and  from  ignorance.  There  are  those  who 
think  it  important  to  have  missions  among   the  German 


40  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

churches,  while  to  the  Roman  Church  the  United  States  is 
still  distinctively  mission  ground.  To  me  it  seems  far 
wiser  to  plant  the  church  in  every  land  where  there  is  none 
at  all  or  only  a  'putrefying  church,  and  to  leave  it  to  the 
interaction  of  the  great  Christian  bodies  upon  one  another 
to  bring  about  that  mutual  correction  and  inspiration  which 
shall  one  day,  we  hope,  make  Christianity  universal  and 
complete  at  once.  At  most  we  shall  do  well  in  such  lands 
to  confine  ourselves  to  strictly  evangelistic  and  auxiliary 
operations. 

What  is  the  mission  motive  ?  Let  us  first  exclude  irrele- 
vant considerations.  The  aim  is  again  the  test.  No  motive 
can  be  reckoned  as  primary  which  does  not  bear  directly 
on  the  aim. 

The  general  improvement  and  elevation  of  mankind, 
their  relief  from  poverty,  ignorance,  suffering,  superstition, 
and  oppression — all  this  is  greatly  to  be  desired  and  invari- 
ably proceeds  from  mission  work,  for  Christianity  always 
humanizes,  always  civilizes.  Such  results  are  incidental 
arguments  for  missions,  evidences  of  their  efficiency,  ex- 
pressions of  their  love,  avenues  for  their  enlargement.  But 
while  they  reinforce,  they  do  not  constitute,  the  mission 
motive,  being  of  a  distinctively  philanthropic,  not  mission- 
ary, character.  All  work,  medical,  educational,  literary,  or 
whatever  else,  which  falls  short  of  the  soul,  is  not  properly 
mission  work,  for  that  work  begins  with  the  soul  as  it  ends 
in  the  church. 

There  is  a  growing  disposition  to  praise  missionaries 
for  the  philanthropic  or  at  least  civilizing  results  of  their 
labor.  I  have  conversed  with  prominent  European  and 
American  officials  in  Asia,  who  have  been  forced  by  facts 
to  abandon  the  attitude  of  opposition  or  contempt  taken 


The  Principles  of  Missions  41 

towards  missions  a  generation  ago.  They  value  and  praise 
missionaries  as  the  forerunners  of  civilization.  Instead  of 
ridiculing,  they  patronize  missions.  I  suppose  some  do 
this  because  it  has  been  discovered  that  the  missionary 
creates  a  native  demand  for  foreign  goods.  He  is  regarded 
as  a  cheap  advertising  agency  by  those  who  wish  to  intro- 
duce railroads  and  manufactures  into  any  part  of  Asia.  If 
every  missionary  in  the  South  Seas  creates  on  an  average 
a  trade  of  $50,000  a  year,  how  much  will  be  created  by  a 
mission  in  China  or  Japan  ?  What  is  the  value  to  trade  of 
the  whole  mission  enterprises  ?  But  the  praise  and  the 
blame  of  such  fall  alike  short  of  the  mark.  Something  of 
the  soul,  something  of  the  church,  something  of  Christ  has 
touched  the  heart  of  every  true  missionary,  to  kindle  his 
sympathies  and  desires  to  one  supreme  passion.  It  is  not 
in  the  philanthropic,  but  in  the  theanthropic  realm  that  we 
must  search  for  the  great  moving  principle. 

The  mission  motive  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  desire  for 
reactionary  benefit  to  the  church  at  home.  It  is  pleasant 
to  learn  "  what  we  get  for  what  we  give,"  and  to  discover 
the  reflex  advantages  of  generosity.  It  is  instructive  to  see 
how  surely  the  church  that  would  live  only  for  itself  dies, 
and  to  learn  that  if  it  would  keep  its  life  it  must  give  out 
its  life.  But  I  have  never  known  a  man  to  be  drawn  to 
the  mission  field  by  such  a  motive,  or  any  mission  society 
to  be  founded  mainly  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  alive  a 
dying  church  at  home. 

My  intercourse  with  missionaries  of  all  kinds  in  all  coun- 
tries has  convinced  me  of  the  great  diversity  of  their  mo- 
tives. They  vary  according  to  temperament,  training,  the- 
ology, environment.  Christ  does  not  banish  individuality. 
He   cherishes  and   emphasizes   it.     Men's  mission  experi- 


43  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

ences  differ  as  much  as  their  religious  experiences.  They 
come  to  Christ  from  different  motives,  they  go  out  on  his 
work  with  different  motives. 

An  age  peculiarly  sensitive  to  the  other  world  and  its 
retributions  may  find  its  mission  spirit  first  stimulated  by 
terrible  apprehensions  for  the  future  of  the  heathen.  A 
humanitarian  age,  full  of  sentiment  and  feeling,  will  be 
deeply  moved  to  secure  their  present  spiritual  welfare. 
When  men  come  to  distrust  their  own  reasonings  and  feel- 
ings alike,  and  every  argument  is  a  matter  of  question,  a 
loyal  church  will  simply  lean  back  on  the  command  of  its 
Lord.  As  the  work  proceeds  and  the  church  is  thrilled 
with  the  vision  of  Christ  and  his  spreading  kingdom,  it  will 
more  and  more  do  all  things  for  the  glory  of  God. 

In  general,  when  theology  emphasizes  the  sovereignty  of 
God,  with  legal  and  governmental  relations  and  retributive 
awards,  the  whole  trend  of  feeling  and  motive  must  be  very 
different  from  what  we  shall  find  when  the  emphasis  is 
placed  on  the  paternity  of  God,  with  personal  relations, 
ethical  values,  and  spiritual  consequences. 

There  are  motives  that  look  Godward  and  motives  that 
look  manward.  Godward  motives  are  gratitude  for  his  sav- 
ing grace,  obedience  to  his  command,  loyalty  to  his  pur- 
pose, love  for  his  person,  sympathy  with  his  plan,  zeal  for 
his  glory.  Manward  motives  are  gratitude  for  the  conver- 
sion of  our  ancestors  by  missions,  compassion  for  the  con- 
dition of  the  heathen,  educational  and  philanthropic  zeal, 
and  brotherly  love  for  them  as  individuals  and  classes. 

Yet  no  one  of  these  many  motives,  efiicient  as  each  may 
be,  is  really  suflScient  for  the  whole  burden  of  the  work. 
They  are  but  varied  manifestations  of  the  one  supreme 
motive  which  is  the  source  common  to  them  all.     That 


The  Principles  of  Missions  43 

source,  tlie  motive  of  all  motives,  is  the  great  theanthropic 
impulse  that  is  born  of  contact  with  Christ.  There  is  an 
inherent  expansiveness  in  the  gospel,  a  latent  universality 
which  puts  its  impulsion  upon  every  faculty  of  the  soul  or 
church  that  it  enlivens.  It  masters  and  sends  them  forth, 
not  primarily  by  its  appeal  to  reason  or  sentiment,  but  by 
the  simple  communication  of  its  own  outflowing  vitality. 
The  main  source  of  missions  then  is  not,  strictly  speaking, 
in  any  motive  at  all,  but  in  a  motor,  in  Christ  himself  as 
author,  operator,  and  energizer  of  all  divine  vitalities  and 
activities.  Christ  is  the  one  motive  power.  He  moves 
within  us  and  moves  us.  He  draws  us  into  his  life  and 
bears  us  forth  in  the  outflowings  of  his  heart.  He  is  the 
originator  of  all  our  regenerate  activities,  the  director  of 
all  our  operations.  Author  and  Finisher  of  our  work  as 
well  as  of  our  faith.  We  can  simply  work  out  what  God 
works  into  us  of  himself. 

"  I  have  but  one  passion,"  said  Count  Zinzendorf,  the 
head  of  the  Moravian  Church — "  I  have  but  one  passion, 
and  that  is  He,  only  He."  Just  as  Paul,  the  Missionary, 
had  said  before  him,  "For  me  to  live  is  Christ."  Both 
passion  and  action  are  Christ. 

All  other  motives  then  are  derivative  and  variable, 
roused  to  activity  only  by  the  Master's  touch. 

It  is  as  of  old  with  Elisha  and  the  child.  As  the 
prophet  stretched  himself  out  on  the  body  of  the  dead 
boy,  mouth  to  mouth,  eyes  to  eyes,  hands  to  hands,  so 
Christ  lays  himself  upon  the  whole  being  of  man  and,  by 
this  vital  contact  with  every  part,  he  kindles  life  and 
movement  in  the  whole.  Nothing  less  than  this  impact 
of  Christ  upon  the  entire  being  with  the  pressure  of  his 
mission  purpose  can  explain  the  strangely  diversified  sen- 


44  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

timents  which  actuate  mission  men  and  societies  at  differ- 
ent periods  and  among  different  classes.  Not  the  com- 
mand of  Christ,  not  the  love  of  Christ,  not  the  glory  of 
God,  not  the  peril,  or  guilt,  or  possibilities  of  souls,  no  one 
of  these  alone  is  the  great  constraining  force,  but  Christ 
himself  in  the  fulness  of  his  being.  It  is  the  expansive 
Divine  Life  that  moves  us  in  all  its  rich  diversity. 

Trace  back  the  history  of  any  mission  epoch  to  its 
source ;  you  will  find  that  it  starts  simply  in  some  fresh 
religious  experience,  the  instinctive  outcome  of  which,  un- 
less hindered  by  special  causes,  must  always  be  a  longing 
for  the  expansion  of  Christ's  kingdom. 

In  beautiful  agreement  with  these  experiences  of  the 
past  is  the  account  given  by  Principal  Moule,  of  Cambridge, 
England,  of  the  meetings  of  Studd,  Stanley,  Smith,  and 
others,  just  before  starting  for  China  with  the  university 
men.  He  writes:  "A  very  large  part  of  the  visit  of  the 
young  men  was  spent  in  addressing  their  fellow-students 
— not  specially  on  mission  work,  but  on  devotedness  to 
Christ.  In  meeting  after  meeting  we  had  nothing  of 
missionary  appeal  before  us,  except  the  ver}'^  eloquent 
appeal  of  the  presence  of  those  who  were  just  to  go  out 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth  for  the  Lord.  The  point  they 
pressed  on  the  meetings  was  this:  'Are  you  really  ready 
to  serve  him  anywhere?  Have  you  given  heart  and  soul 
to  him  ?  Have  you  given  yourself  to  him,  with  all  you  are 
and  all  you  have,  to  be  his  instrument,  to  be  his  tool,  to  be 
what  he  pleases  you  to  be  and  to  do  ?' 

"This  resulted  first  in  a. meeting  where  perhaps  200  uni- 
versity men  were  present  to  hear  two  Church  Missionary 
Society  secretaries  give  mission  information.  The  further 
results  are  such  an  increase  of  men  from  Cambridge,  plan- 


The  Principles  of  ^fissions  45 

ning  to  go  out  as  missionaries,  as  was  never  known  be- 
fore." 

This  answer  to  the  question,  What  is  the  mission  motive  ? 
brings  us  naturally  to  our  fourth  question,  and  one  of  great 
practical  importance,  viz.,  What  constitutes  the  mission 
call?  We  have  seen  how  the  call  comes  to  the  church 
throuQ-h  a  renewal  of  life  within  and  an  enlaro^ement  of 
opportunity  without.  I  do  not  know  that  the  call  to  the 
individual  is  very  different.  There  are  two  parts  to  it, 
first  the  call  to  Christ,  then  the  call  to  his  work.  It  was 
in  the  very  same  day  and  place  that  he  said :  "  Ask  of  me 
and  I  will  give  thee  living  water  to  drink,"  and  "  Lift  up 
your  eyes  and  look  on  the  fields  that  they  are  white 
already  unto  harvest." 

There  is  but  one  response  to  be  made — Consecration. 
Surrender  the  will.  The  rest  is  only  matter  of  judgment, 
according  to  providential  indications.  Men  have  forced 
their  way  into  the  mission  field  against  almost  every  pos- 
sible obstacle.  This  was  the  experience  of  Carey  and  many 
other  pioneers.  Others  have  been  led  along  by  providen- 
tial appointment  where  every  step  was  taken  against  their 
own  preference,  until  at  last  they  found  themselves  set 
down  in  mission  work. 

God  deals  with  men  as  individuals,  and  most  diversely. 
There  are  calls  and  calls — some  that  are  special,  and  some 
that  are  general.  There  are  calls  contained  in  repulses, 
and  tests  contained  in  invitations.  Sometimes  the  soul 
breaks  through  barriers  to  respond  to  the  inner  voice  that 
leads  it  on.  Sometimes  outward  providences  push  on  a 
reluctant  or  doubtful  servant.  Sometimes  the  call  consists 
of  the  simple  presentation  of  facts  to  the  mind  and  con- 
science, which,when  calmly  weighed,  seem  important  enough 


46  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

to  decide  the  choice  of  the  will  and  the  work  of  the  life- 
time. The  mission  field  is  then  entered  with  precisely 
the  same  calm  business  spirit  as  that  with  which  another 
would  enter  a  mercantile  employment,  only  it  is  done  in  the 
service  of  the  Kinsr.  God  calls  men  throuojh  the  reason  as 
well  as  through  conscience  and  providence  and  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  the  number 
of  those  to  whom  the  mission  call  is  addressed  is  and  must 
be  but  a  very  small  part  even  of  those  who  enter  the  home 
ministry.  The  American  Board  has  in  the  foreign  field  190 
men,  4G1  men  and  women  (about  one  in  a  thousand  of  the 
Congregational  membership).  It  calls  for  many  more  ;  but 
circumstances,  duties,  and  disqualifications  of  one  kind  and 
another  make  it  plain  to  far  the  greater  number  that  they 
cannot  go.  To  those,  therefore,  who  can  go,  and  are  in  any 
way  fit  to  go,  the  call  for  more  men  must  come  with  ten- 
fold force. 

To  the  few  who  are  at  once  able  and  willing  to  go  there 
may  come  many  a  conflict  before  the  matter  is  decided. 
There  is  room  and  demand  for  a  great  variety  of  talent 
abroad,  far  greater  than  in  the  ministry  at  home.  But  it  is 
the  very  best  men  who  are  most  wanted.  The  call  is  rather 
for  more  man  than  more  men,  and  for  the  whole  man.  We 
want  the  men  who  can  become  evangelists  of  nations,  heads 
of  schools,  fathers  and  bishops  of  churches,  founders  of 
institutions,  creators  of  literature,  leaders  in  all  things. 
At  their  touch  the  kingdom  of  God  is  to  spring  forth. 
Those  are  precisely  the  men  who  are  most  called  for  at 
home,  though  seldom  with  so  great  ultimate  promise  as 
abroad.  They  will  encounter  many  seeming  indications  of 
providence  bidding  them  stay.     The  home  church  is  here 


Tlie  Principles  of  Missions  47 

to  speak  for  itself,  and  it  will  often  speak  very  loudly.  Im- 
portant positions  may  be  offered  where  much  seems  to  de- 
pend on  securing  a  particular  man.  The  demands  of  home 
and  friends  will  increase.  But  through  all  the  clamor  of 
these  nearer  claims  the  one  who  is  called  of  God  may  hear 
a  still  small  voice,  as  from  a  far  distant  shore,  whispering, 
*' Follow  thou  me." 

Sometimes  he  must  even  go  in  the  very  teeth  of  provi- 
dence, yet  this  may  be  only  the  testing  of  his  purpose. 
There  are  just  now  some  men  inclined  to  the  mission  field 
who  hold  back  because  they  fear  that  for  one  reason  and 
another  they  may  not  be  accepted.  This,  too,  is  a  test- 
ing of  obedience.  I  beseech  you  not  to  be  deterred  by 
this  preliminary  obstacle.  Will  you  not  pray  and  pray  un- 
til the  inclination  grows  to  a  purpose  and  an  enthusiasm  ? 
Will  you  not  commune  with  God  until  lio-ht  and  strenirth 
come  ?  Then  will  you  not  present  yourselves  to  the  Board? 
If  the  door  is  closed  you  have  done  no  more  than  your 
duty.  The  importunity  of  quenchless  enthusiasm  is  what 
has  opened  heavier  doors  than  ever  closed  before  you. 
God  rules  and  overrules,  and  the  very  damming  up  of  the 
waters  may  prepare  for  a  greater  flood  at  last  that  shall 
sweep  all  obstructions  away. 

But  two  further  subjects  remain  to  be  considered  by  one 
who  may  be  pondering  the  mission  call : 

1.  What  is  fitness  for  mission  work  ? 

2.  What  the  fitting  for  it  ? 

The  qualifications  arc  spiritual,  physical,  mental,  and 
social. 

In  naming  consecration  first,  I  mean  not  simply  the  act 
of  self-devotion  to  the  mission  work.  It  is  possible  that 
one  lofty  act  of  self-consecration  mii^ht  brin^  a  verv  un. 


48  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

consecrated  person  to  the  mission  field,  and  that,  Laving 
nobly  come,  he  might  yet  ignobly  fall  before  the  tempta- 
tions that  beset  him.  What  I  mean  is  the  spirit  of  con- 
secration which  pervades  the  life,  and  has  grown  into  habit 
and  character.  Necessary  as  this  is  in  all  of  Christ's  work, 
it  is,  if  possible,  even  more  indispensable  in  those  who  are 
to  be,  like  the  apostles  of  old,  the  primal  sources  of  the 
spiritual  life  of  whole  peoples  and  great  churches.  Let  not 
any  one  think  that  the  very  grandeur  of  the  work  will  exalt 
and  sanctify  an  unconsecrated  person.  I  have  seen  in- 
stances of  this,  but  it  left  bitter  regrets  for  early  misspent 
mission  years.  And  I  have  seen  the  reverse,  where  the 
noble  calling  had  been  desecrated  by  secular,  selfish  minds. 
"  Spiritual  agents  for  spiritual  work  "  is  the  first  qualifica- 
tion to  be  laid  down  by  every  missionary  society. 

The  confidential  instructions  of  the  China  Inland  Mis- 
sion have  the  following  words  on  "  Counting  the  Cost :" 
"  Candidates  must  be  prepared  to  live  lives  of  privation,  of 
toil,  of  loneliness,  of  danger ;  to  be  looked  down  upon  by 
their  own  countrymen,  and  to  be  despised  by  the  Chinese  ; 
to  live  in  the  interior  far  from  the  comforts  of  European 
society  and  protection.  They  will  need  to  trust  God,  as 
able  to  meet  their  needs  in  sickness  as  well  as  in  health,  as 
it  will  usually  be  impossible  to  have  recourse  to  the  aid  of 
European  physicians.  But,  if  faithful  servants,  they  will 
find  in  Christ  and  in  his  Word  a  fulness,  a  meetness,  a 
preciousness,  a  joy  and  strength  that  will  far  outweigh  all 
they  have  sacrificed  for  him." 

Much  that  is  said  here  applies  to  only  a  part  of  our  mis- 
sions. But  the  principle  of  counting  the  cost  and  of  com- 
plete consecration  applies  everywhere. 

With  all  this  there  should  be  no  marked  defects  of  char- 


The  Principles  of  3Iissions  49 

acter,  such  as  extravagance,  or  impatience,  or  quarrelsome- 
ness, or  wilfulness.  Defects  which  are  seen  to  be  merely 
personal  here  will  often  be  put  down  there  to  the  fault  of 
Christianity. 

Next  comes  the  jyht/sical  qualification  of  health.  Mis- 
sion fields  vary  greatly  in  their  climatic  influences,  some 
diminishing,  others  aggravating,  bodily  ailments  felt  at 
home,  while  they  often  create  new  difficulties.  Vitality 
and  powers  of  endurance  are  indispensable.  No  candidate 
should  be  finally  accepted  without  a  certificate  from  a  dis- 
interested medical  man,  not  his  family  physician  or  chosen 
by  him,  but  appointed  by  the  committee,  stating  that  his 
constitution  and  state  of  health  are  suitable  to  the  duties 
of  a  missionary  in  the  particular  field  for  which  he  is  des- 
tined. The  same  certificate  should  be  required  for  the 
wife  or  children.  It  is  the  picked  men  who  are  wanted,  as 
for  an  arctic  expedition.  I  have  known  a  few  sad  experi- 
ences, where  men  have  arrived  on  the  field  physically  unfit 
for  the  work  they  were  about  to  undertake.  After  one  or 
two  or  three  years  of  unavailing  struggles  they  have  been 
forced  to  return  home,  time  and  money  wasted,  their  hearts 
distressed,  their  places  vacant,  their  work  undone,  they 
themselves  disconnected,  cut  off  from  opportunities  for  fut- 
ure usefulness.  Some  wear  themselves  out  in  the  first  few 
years  of  getting  ready  for  work. 

Among  mental  qualifications  comes,  first,  common-sense, 
absolutely  demanded  both  in  itself  and  as  the  parent  of  so 
many  other  qualities.  It  brings  self-knowledge  and  knowl- 
edge of  others,  self-control  and  control  of  others.  It  brings 
the  power  of  adapting  one's  self  to  new  relations  and  con- 
ditions, which  is  required  in  the  missionary  as  in  no  other. 
Piety  alone  may  not  fit  a  man  to  work  either  with  his 

4 


50  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

brethren  or  with  the  natives ;  but  if  common-sense  be 
added  he  will  have  little  trouble.  At  home  so  much  com- 
mon-sense has  been  organized  into  custom  that  we  are  all 
largely  supported  by  the  general  fund,  and  some  men  get 
along  with  a  very  slender  stock  of  their  own.  But  on  the 
mission  field,  where  Christian  custom  is  yet  in  the  making, 
the  drafts  on  common-sense  would  soon  overdraw  a  small 
account. 

Linguistic  talent  is  one  of  the  self-evident  requirements. 
I  have  known  missionaries  who,  after  years  of  labor,  could 
hardly  construct  one  correct  sentence  in  the  vernacular. 
They  were  good  missionaries  too.  Yet  I  think  they  would 
have  served  better  at  home.  But  important  as  is  facility 
in  acquiring  a  language,  it  is  not  so  important  as  tenacity 
in  holding  it.  To  be  sure  and  persistent  in  this  case  is 
more  essential  than  to  be  quick. 

A  full  academic  and  theologic  training  is  desirable.  I 
cannot  say  that  it  is  indispensable,  for  there  have  been 
great  missionaries  who  have  had  little  training  and  have 
been  mostly  self-taught.  Yet  in  studying  the  growth  of 
mission  societies,  especially  in  Germany,  such  as  the 
Berlin,  the  Gassener,  the  Basel  societies,  one  is  struck  by 
the  frequency  with  which  such  societies  begin  with  the 
principle  of  sending  out  untrained  men,  and  the  certainty 
with  which,  as  they  gain  experience,  they  make  increased 
demands  for  educated  candidates,  until  now  the  require- 
ments of  all  except  the  newest  enterprises  are  pretty  much 
the  same.  The  opportunities  for  self-development  which 
come  to  the  minister  at  home  are  largely  wanting  to  the 
missionary.  He  must  be  prepared  to  cope  with  the  keen- 
est intelligence  of  subtle  heathenism ;  he  must  gain  not  only 
respect  but  influence  among  his  European  fellow-residents; 


The  Principles  of  Missions  51 

he  must  be  ready  to  teacli  as  well  as  preach,  and  in  almost 
any  branch.  There  are  few  who  take  this  up  as  a  life- 
work  and  are  otherwise  qualified,  who  would  not  find  their 
usefulness  far  more  enhanced  by  the  added  training  than 
harmed  by  the  delay  of  a  few  years  in  the  beginning.  And 
to  many  a  wondrous  quickening  of  talent  comes  from  the 
mission  enthusiasm.*  I  have  known  a  marvellous  develop- 
ment in  musical  ability  and  in  acquiring  languages  as  the 
result  of  this  enthusiasm. 

As  the  centre  of  all  social  requirements  we  may  simply 
name  love.  Pity  and  common-sense  will  enable  a  man  to 
get  along  with  men,  but  they  will  not  give  him  great 
power  over  them.  He  must  love,  not  as  a  duty,  but  as  an 
instinct  and  a  passion.  It  should  be  love  to  the  brethren, 
love  to  the  natives,  love  to  the  heathen.  No  one  can  know 
what  that  means  until  he  has  been  on  the  field  and  lived 
among  the  natives,  whether  Christian  or  heathen.  That 
simple,  genial,  outflowing  love  will  be  the  source  of  a 
power  greater  than  any  he  wills  or  knows.  It  will  be  the 
secret  of  a  beautiful  character,  and  will  win  men  to  Christ 
because  they  have  seen  Christ  in  his  servant. 

I  will  name  one  more  indispensable  qualification.  It  is 
that  the  one  who  goes  out  as  missionary  should  be  sound 
and  strong  in  the  faith.  By  soundness  I  mean  something 
equally  removed  from  doubt  and  dogmatism,  something 
neither  defective  nor  protuberant,  the  clear  discernment 
and  ready  acceptance  of  the  fundamental,  living,  working, 
practical  doctrines  and  principles  of  Christianity  as  taught 
by  Christ  and  the  apostles.  A  shaky  theology,  one  cut  off 
from  the  main  line  of  doctrinal  development,  out  of  tune 

*The  question  of  lay-evangelization  will  be  touched  upon  elsewhere. 


53  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

■with  one's  time,  representing  only  individual,  accidental,  or 
provincial  peculiarities,  would  be  a  poor  tool  for  the  found- 
infy  of  Christ's  kino^dom  in  Asia — a  far  srreater  hinderance 
to  usefulness,  I  am  convinced,  there  than  in  America. 
Were  I  in  any  way  to  have  part  in  the  examination  of  can- 
didates for  both  missionary  and  pastoral  service,  acting 
with  my  present  light,  I  should  be  far  more  critical  and 
exacting,  far  less  yielding  to  eccentricity  and  immaturity  in 
the  case  of  the  missionary  than  of  the  pastor.  It  has  been 
the  study  of  the  work  on  the  ground  which  has  brought 
me  to  this  conviction.  The  pastor  at  home  has  but  to  con- 
tinue a  work  already  begun,  administering  the  legacy  of 
the  past.  He  is  surrounded,  instructed,  corrected  by  the 
pervading  sentiments  of  Christian  communities. 

Abroad  it  is  different.  The  missionary  is  the  founder 
and  master-builder  of  the  native  church.  It  takes  the  tone 
of  its  Christian  life,  its  interpretation  of  Scripture,  the 
color  of  its  theology  from  him,  and  much  which  might  be 
a  harmless  deviation  at  home  because  counteracted  on 
every  side,  and  discerned  in  its  true  nature  and  results, 
may  prove  a  germ  of  mischief  and  dissension  abroad.  It 
is  the  peculiar,  original,  and  pivotal  position  of  the  mission- 
ary that  brings  his  need  of  special  soundness  in  the  faith. 

There  is  yet  another  reason  why  I  should  be  more  exact- 
ing in  the  examination  of  the  missionary  than  of  the  pas- 
tor. The  latter  is  subject  not  only  to  the  scrutiny  and  criti- 
cism and  advice  of  his  brethren,  but  to  the  withdrawal  of 
their  fellowship  in  his  association,  or  at  a  council  upon  a 
change  of  location.  But  when  the  missionary  is  once  on  the 
field  it  is  most  important  that  he  should  be  left  to  free,  un- 
trammelled development  of  his  faith.  If  he  have  proved  him- 
self thoroughly  rooted  and  grounded  in  the  gospel,  sound  in 


The  Principles  of  Missions  53 

faith  and  in  judgment,  he  can  be  trusted  to  encounter  the 
subtle  philosophies  of  the  East,  and  to  shape  the  theological 
thought  of  the  new  church. 

By  being  strong  in  the  faith  I  mean  more  than  I  can  be- 
gin to  say  here.  The  missionary  needs  to  have  such  a  firm 
grip  on  the  central  truths  of  Christianity  that,  even  should 
he  experience  a  change  in  his  views  on  outlying  doctrines, 
he  cannot  be  moved  from  the  centre,  holding  that  so  strong- 
ly that  no  wavering  at  the  circumference  will  shake  him. 
He  must  be  strongs  not  only  to  defend  the  faith,  but  to  es- 
tablish it,  impart  it,  and  use  it ;  strong  enough  in  it  to  hold 
its  essence  under  every  new  form,  to  keep  the  same  firm 
grasp  upon  it,  though  it  assume  Protean  shapes  within  his 
hands.  He  needs  to  be  one  capable  of  seeing  the  deep 
meaning  in  the  remark  of  Rothe,  that  there  is  nothing  more 
changeable  than  Christianity,  but  that  in  this  lies  not  its 
weakness  but  its  strength.  More  than  other  men  he  needs 
to  distinguish  between  the  essential  and  the  incidental,  the 
transient,  the  historical,  and  the  eternal  in  Christianity  ;  more 
than  others  he  needs  to  know  the  true  proportion  of  faith. 
Presenting  it  on  the  historic  basis,  and  in  the  historic  de- 
velopment which  belongs  to  himself  as  a  European,  an  Amer- 
ican, a  New-Englander,  perhaps,  he  must  yet  present  it  in 
such  way  as  not  to  fetter  but  to  stimulate  the  native  mind, 
so  that  from  the  start,  being  rightly  founded,  it  may  find 
its  natural  Asiatic  development,  according  to  the  traits  of 
the  Chinese  or  Indian  mind,  rather  than  be  forever  bound 
to  the  one-sided  peculiarities  of  occidental  thinking. 

To  sum  up:  The  faith  of  the  missionary  should  be  a 
sound  faith,  having  in  itself  the  promise  of  life  and  healthy 
development ;  a  j^ositiue  faith,  not  distrusting  and  consum- 
ing itself,  but  aggressive   and  dominant  in  its  hold  upon 


54  Modern  Missions  m  the  East 

others,  persuasive  of  their  minds,  and  constructive  of  both 
character  and  faith  for  the  new  church.  It  should  be  a 
deep  faith,  laying  hold  upon  God ;  a  Biblical  faith,  resting  on 
the  foundation  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  apostles ;  a  broad 
faith,  comprehensive  enough  to  include  Asiatic  as  well  as 
European  schools  of  theology  ;  a  simple  faith,  suited  to  the 
intelligence  of  a  strange  people  and  an  infant  church  ;  a  rev- 
erent faith,  not  dogmatizing  beyond  the  limits  of  Revela- 
tion ;  and  a  iv ell-proportioned  faith,  placing  main  emphasis 
upon  the  central  and  fundamental  features  of  the  gospel, 
not  carried  away  by  any  theological  caprice  or  phantasy. 

A  sound  body,  a  trained  mind,  linguistic  talent,  and  com- 
mon-sense, a  rounded  character  and  a  loving  heart,  clear, 
firm  faith,  and  consecrated  piety — these  constitute  fitness 
for  the  mission  work.  There  are  degrees  in  them  all,  but  I 
am  happy  to  say  that  I  have  found  on  the  whole  a  large 
fulfilment  of  these  demands  among  the  missionaries  I  have 
met. 

Last  of  all,  how  shall  one  who  is  in  some  degree  fit  be 
specially  fitted  for  the  mission  work  ? 

The  European  answer  to  that  is  different  from  the  Amer- 
ican. At  Berlin  and  at  Basel,  at  Islington,  London,  and  at 
Canterbury,  as  well  as  in  other  places,  there  are  large  mis- 
sionary colleges  where  young  men  are  taken  even  in  the 
beginning  of  their  studies  and  trained  for  the  mission  work» 
This  practice,  however,  has  sprung,  not  from  preference, 
but  from  necessity.  In  Germany  and  England  alike  the 
number  of  university  men  who  have  entered  into  the  mission 
work  has  been  extremely  small.  From  Cambridge,  England, 
only  one  missionary  went  forth  before  the  year  1836,  and 
that  was  in  the  year  1815.  The  only  way  to  supply  mis- 
sionaries at  all  was  to  train  them  in  a  special  institution. 


The  Principles  of  3Iissio?is  55 

This  lias  brought  the  question  of  missionary  instruction  to 
the  front.  But  after  some  personal  observation  I  am  led  to 
believe  that  the  instruction  given  at  these  missionary  semi- 
naries is  essentially  the  same  as  that  given  in  our  semina- 
ries, only  not  so  extended  and  not  so  good.  If  men  of 
academic  training  can  be  secured,  and  that  is  happily  the 
case  in  this  country — where  from  the  time  of  Nott  and  Jud- 
son  and  Mills  up  to  these  days  of  Forman  and  Wilder  the 
colleges  have  been  originators  of  mission  societies  and 
movements — then  there  need  be  little  difference  in  the  gen- 
eral training  of  missionaries  and  pastors. 

Yet  the  choice  of  such  a  vocation  early  in  one's  course 
will  lead  a  student  to  place  special  emphasis  all  the  way 
through  on  whatever  lies  in  the  lines  of  his  work.  In  his 
exegesis  the  mission  purpose  of  the  Bible  will  shine  out 
brighter  to  him  than  to  others.  In  church  history  he  will 
bestow  especial  attention  upon  the  expansion  of  the  church, 
its  relation  to  pagan  systems,  its  organization  in  different 
lands.  In  apologetics  he  will  ever  be  asking  himself  how 
to  adapt  the  evidences  of  Christianity  to  the  peculiarities 
of  Buddhist,  Hindu,  or  Mohammedan  minds.  The  compara- 
tive study  of  religions  in  both  their  history  and  their  phi- 
losophy will  enable  him  to  judge  how  apologetics  should  be 
recast  for  such  purposes. 

In  the  study  of  dogmatics  I  think  the  one  who  is  to  be  a 
missionary  will  feel  a  little  more  strongly  for  that  reason 
the  need  of  clearness  and  largeness  of  view.  He  will  dis- 
tinguish a  little  more  carefully  between  the  essential  and 
the  accidental  in  our  faith,  the  local  and  the  universal, 
while  he  will  ask  that  somewhere  and  somehow  the  science 
of  missions  shall  be  opened  up  to  him  and  to  his  co-adju- 
tor,  on  whose  home  support  he  must  count.    Geography  and 


56  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

travel  will  become  practical  and  sacred  studies  for  his  leisure 
hours,  sociology  will  prepare  him  to  understand  the  struct- 
ure of  the  strange  societies  and  civilizations  which  will  con- 
front him,  and  mission  biographies  and  reports  will  mean 
more  to  him  than  to  any  one  else.  Thus  he  will  have,  not 
so  much  different  studies,  as  different  meanings  in  the  same 
studies.  If  to  these  he  can  add  a  course  of  medical  lect- 
ures, unless  he  goes  to  Japan,  and  the  study  of  Sanskrit  or 
Arabic  if  he  is  to  go  to  India  or  among  Mohammedans,  and 
a  fair  knowledge  of  sacred  music,  he  will  do  well.  Some 
experience  in  teaching  is  well  ;  also  an  acquaintance  with 
tools  for  mechanical  and  industrial  employments.  Nothing 
of  that  sort  will  come  amiss. 

It  would  be  extremely  valuable  to  him  if  he  could  take 
some  time  to  study  the  history,  organization,  and  methods 
of  leading  churches  and  societies  in  America  and  Europe. 
He  is  to  be  an  organizer  both  of  mission  work  and  of 
churches.  How  full  of  instruction  would  he  find  the  study 
on  the  ground  of  the  organization  of  the  Presbyterian 
churches  in  Scotland,  or  the  comparison  of  the  methods  of 
the  London  Missionary  Society  and  the  Church  Missionary 
Society  with  one  another  and  with  those  of  American  soci- 
eties !  Or  some  .experience  of  the  great  evangelistic  work 
of  cities,  such  as  New  York  and  London,  would  show  him 
how  heathenism  at  home  is  being  dealt  with.  The  bitter 
cry  of  outcast  London,  the  needs  of  the  submerged  tenth, 
would  quicken  his  care  for  the  more  bitter  needs  of  hea- 
thendom, the  unemerged  whole. 


CHAPTER  III 

CHINA CORE  A JAPAN 

Japan,  China,  Turkey,  Russia,  and  Great  Britain  arc  the 
five  powers  that  sway  the  Orient.  There  is  but  little  out- 
side of  their  dominion  or  influence.  Two  of  them  are  nom- 
inally Confucian  and  Buddhist ;  one  is  Moslem ;  two  are 
Christian.  Asiatic  Russia  is  both  barbarous  and  heteroge- 
neous. The  other  four  powers  embrace  within  their  rule  all 
the  great  surviving  non-Christian  civilizations  of  the  world. 

Into  this  preoccupied  domain,  however,  another  rule  is  en- 
tering, claiming  absolute  sway  and  universal  empire  in  the 
name  of  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords.  This  king- 
dom of  God  has  to-day  its  great  battle-field,  to-morrow  its 
final  battle-field,  in  Asia.  Work  and  problems  enough  are 
found  elsewhere,  as  in  Africa  and  the  isles  of  the  sea.  But 
in  Asia  alone  does  Christianity  encounter  compact,  elabo- 
rate, venerable,  defiant  nationalities,  civilizations,  and  relig- 
ions which,  with  great  vitality  and  intelligence,  dispute  its 
claims  and  resist  its  progress. 

Therefore,  if  we  would  see  the  work  of  missions  in  its 
greatest  intensity  and  grandeur,  and  in  view  of  its  sublimest 
coming  victories,  it  is  to  Asia  that  we  must  go,  and  among 
the  four  great  empires,  excluding  Russia,  in  their  oriental 
dominions.  It  is  a  region  of  which  the  greater  part  has  al- 
ready become  practically  a  European  colony,  a  fact  deserv- 
ing to  be  borne  in  mind. 


58  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

Such  was  the  conclusion  of  a  pastor  in  the  city  of  Syra- 
cuse, N.  Y.,  when,  in  the  spring  of  1886,  the  way  opened 
for  a  two  years'  study  of  the  work  of  the  church  in  evangel- 
izing the  world.  He  surmised  that  this  mission  work  must 
have  greater  breadth  and  complexity,  and  also  a  far  closer 
connection  with  home  life  and  labor,  than  is  usually  sup- 
posed. He  believed  that,  as  this  century  of  experiments 
closed  and  the  science  of  missions  became  fully  established, 
there  would  be  need  of  a  more  intelligent  sympathy  and  a 
more  active  and  varied  co-operation  on  the  part  of  the  church 
at  home  with  the  church  abroad. 

Therefore  I  set  forth  to  study  on  the  ground  and  by  per- 
sonal inspection  modern  missions  in  the  Orient. 

In  this  journey  I  went  out  uncommissioned  and  alone.  I 
paid  my  own  bills  and  drew  my  own  conclusions.  I  carried 
circular  letters  of  recommendation  from  the  five  or  six  Mis- 
sion Boards,  as  well  as  from  Roman  Catholic  functionaries. 
But  the  only  introduction  to  the  missionaries  found  nec- 
essary was  an  interest  in  their  undertaking.  I  inspected 
work  of  all  the  leading  denominations,  including  the  Greek 
and  Roman  churches,  and  of  five  or  six  difiEerent  nationali- 
ties. I  saw  them,  not  in  the  dress  parade  with  which  they 
greet  officials,  and  which,  responsive  to  demand,  they  are 
apt  to  assume  in  missionary  periodicals,  but  in  their  every- 
day attire  and  at  their  common  tasks. 

I  entered  upon  this  journey  with  one  invincible  preju- 
dice, a  prejudice  in  favor  of  obedience  to  the  Lord's  com- 
mand to  preach  the  gospel  among  all  nations.  Apart  from 
this,  my  mind,  so  far  as  I  can  judge,  was  free  from  bias  in 
favor  of  any  particular  method  of  accomplishing  this  pur- 
pose. I  came  home  with  a  far  clearer  understanding  of  the 
principles  and  aim  of  this  work,  a  far  better  appreciation  of 


China  —  Corea  —  Jcqxi  n  59 

the  need  of  it,  its  difficulties  and  its  grandeur,  and  an  in- 
creased esteem  for  the  men  engaged  in  it. 

To  be  dislocated  from  the  environment  of  a  lifetime  and 
suddenly  thrust  into  the  midst  of  a  people  of  uncouth  as- 
pect and  unintelligible  tongue  is  an  experience  long  to  be 
remembered.  The  yellow  skin,  the  almond  eye,  the  bridge- 
less  and  diminutive  nose,  the  beardless  face,  the  shaven  head 
and  dangling  queue,  the  blue  cotton  garments,  flowing  robes 
and  baggy  trousers,  the  mushroom  hat  and  gunboat  shoes, 
the  inexpressive  countenance  and  demeanor,  and  the  back- 
handed way  of  doing  everything  —  when  we  see  these  out- 
ward signs  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  we  are  among  the 
Chinese.  But  it  is  a  very  different  thing  to  see  a  China- 
man, and  to  be  dropped  down  in  China.  It  is  no  longer 
the  Chinaman  who  is  the  oddity  and  intruder.  It  docs  not 
take  long  to  discover  that  you  are  the  interloper  and  great 
exception.  You  find  that  you  are  thus  regarded,  until  you 
begin  to  regard  yourself  in  the  same  light.  The  former 
oddities  have  become  ubiquitous  and  normal.  They  swarm 
about  you.  They  seem  to  rush  in  upon  you  through  every 
pore.  You  see  and  hear  and  smell  and  breathe  nothing  but 
Chinamen.  The  whole  three  hundred  and  three  millions  of 
these  beings  seem  to  weigh  you  down  and  crush  you.  Are 
these  the  men  whom  our  brothers  are  sent  out  to  convert? 

Gradually  you  discover  that  back  of  these  strange  phe- 
nomena—  for  a  Chinaman  is  a  phenomenon  —  strange  laws 
and  forces  are  at  work,  moulding  all  these  elements  to  uni- 
form results.  So,  by  degrees,  it  dawns  upon  you,  with 
sometimes  overwhelming  force,  that  you  have  not  merely 
entered  among  a  countless  mass  of  strange  human  beings, 
but  that  you  are  face  to  face  with  an  alien  civilization,  vast, 
complex,  mysterious.     Wonder  grows  to  amazement,  curios- 


60  Modern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

ity  to  awe,  when  you  learn  that  this  is  in  many  respects 
the  most  remarkable  civilization  the  world  has  known.  Its 
antiquity  seems  like  that  of  the  eternal  hills.  The  begin- 
nino-s  are  lost  in  the  darkness  of  early  Arcadian  and  Egyp- 
tian days.  It  saw  the  empires  of  the  ancient  world  blaze 
up  in  all  their  brief  brilliancy  —  Babylonia,  Assyria,  Persia, 
Greece,  Rome,  Israel  —  it  saw  them  die  out  and  pass  into 
oblivion,  but  it  went  its  way  unchanged.  "  And  while  the 
Britons  still  wore  skins,  the  Chinese  wore  silks." 

Twenty-four  hundred  years  ago  Confucius  put  his  sancti- 
fying; touch  upon  the  customs  and  institutions  of  the  time, 
already  ripe,  and  everything  seemed  to  crystallize  into  eter- 
nally abiding  forms  whose  sacredness  only  increased  with 
their  antiquity.  A  few  inventions  have  been  added.  The 
substance  of  life  is  the  same  as  then. 

But  this  civilization  is  not  only  ancient,  lixed,  elaborate. 
It  has  made  itself  supreme  throughout  Eastern  Asia.  While 
not  possessed  with  that  land-lust  that  has  burned  in  west- 
ern nations,  the  Chinese  empire  is  second  only  to  Russia  in 
size,  and  is  first  of  all  in  numbers.  Over  a  territory  one 
third  larger  than  Europe,  one  will  rules  all  those  mighty 
millions;  one  type  of  civilization  is  stamped  upon  them 
all.  But  the  dominion  of  the  Chinese  mind  extends  even 
further  than  the  rule  of  its  will.  Corea  is  bound  by  only 
the  slightest  ties  to  the  empire,  yet  if  you  go  up  to  the 
capital,  Seoul,  you  find  yourself  in  a  Chinese  atmosphere. 
Customs,  language,  literature,  and  society  are  saturated  with 
Chinese  influences. 

Until  within  a  few  years  it  has  been  the  same  in  Japan. 
That  remarkable  country,  which,  happier  than  even  England 
in  this  respect,  has  never  permitted  an  invading  army  to 
land  upon  its  soil,  has  yet  been  for  centuries  under  the  mas- 


China  —  Corea  —  Japan  61 

tery  of  Chinese  civilization,  which  flowed  upon  the  land 
through  Corea,  and  found  everywhere  a  ready  and  apprecia- 
tive, though  by  no  means  slavish,  acceptance.  Their  classic 
books  are  Chinese.  The  words  and  characters  of  the  Chi- 
nese language  are  as  largely  incorporated  into  their  own 
as  those  of  the  Greeks  and  Latins  into  ours.  Their  art  is 
sprung  from  Chinese  or  Corean  sources,  and  their  ethics  are 
those  of  Confucius. 

Nor  is  this  so  ancient  and  dominant  civilization  of  China 
in  any  sense  effete.  There  is  much,  indeed,  in  first  appear- 
ances to  suggest  this.  There  is  a  dirty,  dingy,  decaying  look 
and  an  offensive  stench  about  cities,  roads,  and  buildings, 
whether  houses,  temples,  or  palaces,  which  seem  to  tell  of 
an  empire  mouldering  away.  There  is  an  official  corrup- 
tion, too,  which  can  be  compared  only  to  that  in  Turkey, 
and  even  that  is  probably  not  so  systematized  and  universal. 
China  seems  one  huge  sponge,  where  every  man  is  equally 
sure  to  be  squeezed  and  bent  on  squeezing.  Yet  the  grip  of 
custom  is  only  tightened  by  age,  and  the  power  of  the  cen- 
tral government  is  ever  increasing.  If  left  to  themselves, 
there  seems  no  reason  why  this  vast  empire  might  not  go  on 
for  the  next  three  millenniums  as  it  has  done  for  the  past 
three.  Back  of  all  else  lies  the  keen,  strong,  persistent  mind 
of  the  people,  their  patient  endurance,  their  domestic  devel- 
opment and  reverence  for  age  and  ancestry,  their  love  of 
order,  obedience  to  law,  and  confidence  in  government. 
They  are  sound  and  hardy  in  body,  save  where  opium  has 
made  its  recent  ravages,  and  seem  to  have  every  business 
virtue  except  versatility  and  honesty.  Even  the  last  trait  is 
not  wholly  wanting,  for  when  a  Chinese  merchant  of  good 
standing  says  "Put-eebook"  —  "put  my  signature  down  in 
a  book"  —  he  will  stand  to  the  contract  through  thick  and 


62  Modern  Missions  i?i  the  East 

thin.  I  have  been  repeatedly  assured  by  business  men  in 
China  that,  in  regular  commercial  transactions,  they  would 
far  rather  do  business  with  a  Chinese  merchant  than  with 
their  own  countrymen,  because  they  could  better  trust  them. 

To  all  this  should  be  added  that  the  Chinese  are,  next  to 
the  Anglo-Saxon  race,  the  greatest  colonizers  in  the  world. 
The  large  islands  and  coasts  of  Malaisia  are  being  occupied 
by  them ;  they  are  flocking  into  Polynesia  and  America. 
Hardy,  thrifty,  persevering,  able  to  endure  any  climate  in 
the  world,  they  are  to  be  the  great  agents  for  redeeming 
such  lands  as  Borneo,  Sumatra,  and  other  tropical  regions, 
where  the  white  man  sickens  and  the  natives  only  vegetate, 
until  pushed  out  by  the  enterprising  Chinese. 

In  no  instance  have  I  found  myself  forced  to  such  a  revi- 
sion of  my  former  opinions  and  prejudices  as  in  the  case  of 
China.  The  more  I  saw  of  this  wonderful  country  the  more 
I  was  astonished  at  its  resources,  delighted  with  its  natural 
scenery,  awed  at  its  past,  dismayed  at  its  present,  thrilled 
with  hope  for  its  future.  Yet  the  upper  heavens  are  shut  to 
its  ken ;  the  lower  heavens  and  the  under-earth,  the  present 
and  the  future,  are  peopled  with  ghosts,  demons,  and  awful 
terrors.  When  you  face  this  compact  nation  and  begin  to 
comprehend  the  vigor  of  its  resistance,  the  bitterness  of  its 
contempt  towards  all  that  is  alien,  the  tenacity  of  its  co- 
herence— you  will  understand  that  despairing  cry  of  Xavi- 
er,  "O  mountain,  mountain,  when  wilt  thou  open  to  my 
Lord  r 

How  vastly  difficult  for  individuals  to  detach  themselves 
from  this  system  of  life,  organized,  civilized,  intelligent,  as 
vital  as  it  is  venerable !  All  possible  bonds  and  forces  con- 
spire to  hold  the  members  of  this  mass  together — the  per- 
sonal, domestic,  social,  and  civil  ties,  heredity  and  environ- 


China  —  Corea  —  Japan  63 

ment,  reverence  for  ancestors  and  love  of  country,  all  desire 
for  gain  or  fame  or  affection,  common  morality,  and  religion 
itself.  The  change  you  desire  means  to  them  not  only  ex- 
ile, poverty,  persecution,  contempt,  but  impiety  to  their  an- 
cestors, treason  to  their  country,  sacrilege  to  their  gods.  It 
makes  them  outcasts. 

In  China  more  than  elsewhere  in  the  world,  perhaps,  the 
missionary  must  simply  fall  back  on  the  sovereignty  of  God 
and  the  omnipotent  love  of  Christ.  General  Grant,  after  his 
visit,  said  he  realized  that  while  progress  in  the  Mississippi 
valley  might  be  that  of  the  avalanche,  in  the  valley  of  the 
Yang-tze  it  could  be  only  that  of  the  glacier.  But  Napoleon 
at  St.  Helena,  looking  out  on  the  vast  empires  of  the  world, 
which  he  had  come  to  know  so  well,  said,  "When  China  is 
moved  it  will  change  the  face  of  the  globe." 

It  is  simply  the  liand  of  God  that  can  move  it,  simply  his 
breath  that  can  melt  the  glacier.  In  the  light  of  his  pur- 
pose, what  a  field  this  is  for  missions !  what  scope  for  the 
divine  kingdom !  Let  this  people  once  become  God's  peo- 
ple, they  will  spread  his  rule  over  Asia  and  Oceanica,  as  the 
Teutons  and  Celts  have  spread  it  over  Europe  and  America. 
Here  are  the  greatest  rulers,  civil izers,  and  colonizers  of  Asia, 
with  splendid  business  talents  and  a  genius  for  associative 
development.  As  a  Californian  said  to  me  on  my  way  over, 
"We  must  drive  them  out  or  they  will  drive  us  out.  They 
have  all  of  our  virtues  and  none  of  our  vices."  Referring 
as  he  did  to  business  virtues  and  vices,  the  statement  was 
almost  literally  true.  Yet  with  all  their  attainments  there  is 
a  certain  pettiness,  immaturity,  and  childishness  about  them 
which  they  have  not  been  able  to  cast  off.  They  are  a  dull, 
prosaic,  commonplace  people.  They  need  the  pervading 
ferment  of  a  divine  life.     It  seems  as  if  China  had  been 


64  Modern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

waiting*  all  the  centuries  for  the  Lord  Jesus  to  come  and  call 
out,  "  Man,  I  say  unto  thee,  arise  1" 

There  are  three  stages  in  Protestant  missions  in  China. 
The  first  is  from  1807 — when  Dr.  Morrison  went  out  to  Can- 
ton and  Macao — to  1842.  The  walls  of  the  Chinese  Jericho 
rose  impregnably  before  the  missionaries  in  all  those  years. 
They  could  not  march  about  them  nor  even  blow  their 
trumpets.  They  sat  outside  China,  in  the  Malaisian  penin- 
sula and  islands,  waiting  for  an  opening  to  be  made,  learn- 
ing meantime  how  to  blow  their  trumpets.  It  was  wholly  a 
time  of  preparation. 

But  in  1842  English  gunboats  made  breaches  in  the  wall. 
Five  treaty  ports  were  thrown  open.  Canton,  Amoy,  Foo- 
chow,  Ningpo,  Shanghai. 

Then  came  the  second  or  treaty-port  period  of  restricted 
beginnings.  Foreigners  were  prohibited  from  going  into  the 
country  to  propagate  religion,  and  were  huddled  together  at 
a  few  points  along  the  coast.  They  stood  in  the  open  gates, 
but  could  get  little  further.     The  wall  had  not  fallen. 

Early  in  the  sixties,  however,  it  tottered  and  tumbled 
through  its  whole  length.  Remember  that  the  worship  of 
heaven  had  hitherto  been  confined  to  the  emperor,  without 
a  substitute.  Then  listen  to  these  words  of  the  treaty,  as  to 
the  blast  of  the  demolishing  trumpet:  "It  shall  be  promul- 
gated throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land  that  it 
is  permitted  to  all  people  in  all  parts  of  China  to  propagate 
and  practise  the  teachings  of  the  Lord  of  heaven,  to  meet 
together  for  preaching  the  doctrine,  to  build  churches,  and 
to  worship." 

The  third  period  opened  about  1865,  when  the  various 
societies  intrenched  along  the  outskirts  of  China  began  to 
move  into  the  interior  and  to  make  their  labors  as  universal 


China  —  Corea  —  Japan  65 

as  was  the  Chinese  tolerance.  For  twenty-six  years  this 
period  of  general  aggressive  work  has  continued.  The  main 
results  already  attained  arc  the  direct  fruits  of  this  work  of 
a  quarter  of  a  century. 

No  country  in  this  world  is  liarder  to  understand  and  de- 
scribe than  China.  The  immense  distances,  the  slow  travel, 
the  bad  roads,  the  language — a  miracle  of  unintclligibility 
and  a  marvel  of  diversities — make  progress  slow  in  journeys, 
study,  or  work.  Long  inland  tours  we  shall  Ijave  no  time  to 
take,  but  in  our  rapid  trip  we  shall  catch  glimpses  of  certain 
shining  points  and  centres  of  mission  work.  Here,  far  in 
the  north,  close  to  the  Great  Wall,  is  Peking,  imperial,  official, 
Tartar,  diplomatic,  final  centre  of  all  civil-service  examina- 
tions, seat  of  the  new  imperial  university,  which  is  manned 
by  western  professors  and  headed  b}^  an  American  ex-mis- 
sionary. President  Martin,  near  Tung-cho,  the  seat  of  our 
own  college ;  Tientsin,  commercial  emporium  of  the  north, 
residence  of  that  Bismarck  of  China,  Li  Hung  Chang,  and 
distributing  centre  for  all  the  northern  missionaries;  Chefoo, 
the  sanitarium  of  China ;  Shanghai,  the  great  centre  for  for- 
eign trade,  the  model  settlement  of  the  East,  with  its  English 
and  French  municipalities.  South  of  this  we  pass  along  by 
coasting  steainer  to  Ningpo,  Foo-chow,  and  Amoy,  Swatow, 
and  Canton,  with  Hong-Kong.  Thus  for  about  2000  miles 
along  the  coast,  from  the  Chinese  Wall  to  Hong-Kong,  there 
runs  a  continuous  line  of  mission  stations  and  out-stations. 
Now  from  Shanghai,  at  right  angles  to  this  coast-line  and 
from  the  middle  of  it,  for  1500  miles  up  the  Yang-tze  River 
— the  Mississippi  of  China — runs  another  line  with  very  few 
breaks.  We  can  easily  follow  this  line,  as  I  did,  for  TOO 
miles,  travelling  on  a  luxurious  Hudson  River  steamer  as  far 
as  Hankow,  the  Chinese  St.  Louis,  where  ocean   steamers 


66  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

take  their  cargo  of  tea.  From  these  two  base-lines  mission- 
ary laborers  move  ever  farther  onward  and  inward  into 
Shansi  and  Shensi,  into  Honan  and  Hupeh  and  Hunan  and 
Szechuan  and  the  other  provinces. 

The  province  of  Fah-Kien  was  one  of  the  first,  as  it  is  one 
of  the  best,  occupied.  I  visited  its  two  chief  ports,  at  each 
of  which  about  twenty  missionaries  are  stationed,  with  per- 
haps ten  others  in  the  whole  province,  or  fifty  for  a  popula- 
tion of  fifteen  millions.  Foo-chow,  for  natural  scenery,  is  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  cities  in  the  world.  In  1846  it  was 
entered  by  the  American  Board,  in  1847  by  the  American 
Methodists,  in  1850  by  the  Church  Missionary  Society.  The 
work  of  the  last  society  seems  thus  far  to  have  been  more 
fruitful  than  that  of  the  American  Board.  In  the  thirty 
years  from  1850  to  1880  eleven  missionaries  had  been  en- 
gaged in  the  work.  During  ten  years  of  this  time  there 
were  only  two  male  missionaries  on  the  ground ;  during  fif- 
teen years  only  one ;  never  more  than  three.  Eleven  years 
passed  without  a  single  convert,  during  which  interval  two 
missionaries  died,  a  third  just  as  the  first-fruits  were  being- 
gathered,  and  a  fourth  later  on.  There  were  repeated  and 
bitter  persecutions  of  the  converts.  But  in  1891  there 
were  8500  Christian  adherents,  nearly  one-third  of  them 
being  communicants,  scattered  among  about  150  stations 
and  out-stations.  What  immense  results  flowing  from  the 
guidance  of  a  few  consecrated  men  !  In  the  tenth  year, 
"  without  one  single  conversion  or  prospect  of  such  a 
thing,"  the  home  committee  were  on  the  point  of  abandon- 
ing the  field.  It  was  only  the  importunity  of  Mr.  Smith, 
the  sole  missionary,  that  prevented  the  change.  As  that  very 
tenth  year  was  closing  Mr.  Smith  wrote  home,  "  I  hope  that 
a  brighter  day  is  about  to  dawn  upon  us.     There  are  three 


China  —  Corea  —  Japan  67 

men  whom  I  really  look  upon  as  honest  inquirers."  Men 
who  compute  the  cost  of  converts  would  be  stunned  at  the 
expenses  of  those  ten  years,  and  no  converts,  only  three  in- 
quirers. It  was  medical  skill  that  both  sowed  the  seed  and 
reaped  the  first  harvest,  gatherinj^  in  four  converts  the  next 
year.  Yet  of  these  four,  three  afterwards  fell  away  from  the 
faith.  As  the  work  grew,  it  was  mainly  spread  by  the  na- 
tives. There  are  now  over  100  paid  workers  and  as  many 
more  volunteers.  Most  of  the  converts  are  from  the  coun- 
try and  very  ignorant;  ignorance,  uncleanliness,  and  irrev- 
erence being  specified  as  the  three  greatest  evils.  But  in 
1873  the  native  Christians,  at  a  gathering  of  all  their  con- 
gregations, resolved  that  every  adult  Christian,  whether 
baptized  or  not,  should  be  required  to  give  at  least  one 
cent  a  Sunday  for  the  gospel.  And  just  at  the  time  of  my 
visit  came  the  noblest  development  of  all  this  work.  Early 
trained  in  self-help,  these  Foo-chow  Christians  began  to  ask 
what  they  could  do  to  help  others  and  prove  by  foreign-mis- 
sion work  that  they  were  a  true  Christian  church.  Natives 
of  all  missions  were  united  in  the  plan.  Among  them  was 
the  well-known  Mr.  Ahok,  recently  called  from  earth,  a 
Christian  Chinese  millionaire,  deserving  to  be  ranked  with  any 
of  our  Christian  merchant  princes.  Corea  was  suggested  as  a 
good  field.  I  found  him  just  returned  from  spying  out  the 
country.  He  brought  back  a  bunch  of  grapes  of  Eshcol,  and 
told  the  people  to  go  up  and  possess  the  land.  They  sent  out 
two  of  their  number  to  occupy  it  for  Christ.  But  the  work 
seemed  hard  and  the  soil  barren.  They  grew  discourao-ed 
and  came  home,  reporting  that  the  grapes  were  sour  and 
the  inhabitants  giants,  in  whose  sight  they  were  but  as  orass- 
hoppers.  But  the  people  of  Israel  —  I  should  say  of  Foo- 
chow —  said,   "We  will  send  up  taller  men,  who  can  reach 


68  3Iodern  Missions  in  the  East 

the  grapes  and  match  the  giants."  These  bigger  men  are 
still  there,  plucking  ripe,  sweet  fruit  from  the  spreading 
vine.  Here,  then,  the  Foreign  Mission  has  built  up  a  for- 
eign-missionary church.     The  circle  is  complete. 

Work  of  quite  different  sort  goes  on  in  the  province  of. 
Shantung,  in  the  north.  Some  twenty  years  ago,  Dr.  Nevius, 
of  the  American  Presbyterian  Mission,  who  had  become 
dissatisfied  with  seventeen  years'  experience  in  Ningpo  and 
vicinity,  began  work  in  Central  Shantung  on  another  plan, 
and  without  a  native  assistant.*  For  five  years  he  toured 
over  the  same  ground  every  spring  and  autumn,  and  for  five 
years  had  not  a  single  convert.  There  are  now  spread 
through  the  department  of  Ching-Chow-Foo,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  co-operating  English  Baptist  and  the  Pres- 
byterian Mission,  over  150  stations,  with  4000  converts. 
Among  all  these  there  is  not  one  pastor  in  the  modern 
sense  of  the  term.  Twice  a  year  Dr.  Nevius  made  a  tour 
among  all  these  stations,  accompanied  by  his  one  paid  na- 
tive helper  on  a  salary  of  less  than  five  dollars  a  month. 
The  stations  are  intrusted  to  the  care,  not  of  preachers,  but 
of  leaders,  who  are  simply  brethren  among  brethren,  pursu- 
ing their  calling  as  before  conversion,  and  superintending  the 
instruction  and  worship  of  their  companions.  In  the  sum- 
mer and  winter  these  leaders  journeyed  200  miles,  to  Che- 
foo,  where  they  spent  six  or  eight  weeks  in  a  Bible  Training 
School,  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Nevius  and  Dr.  Corbett,  and 
then  returned  to  impart  to  their  own  people  what  they  had 
learned.  The  entire  expense  of  the  work  of  Dr.  Nevius  for 
the  year  1885,  the  year  previous  to  ray  visit,  apart  from  his 
own   salary  and  itinerating  expenses,  was  a  trifle  less  than 

*  Dr.  Nevius  has  recently  been  called  to  a  heavenly  service. 


China  —  Corea  —  Japan  69 

$300.  Thus,  in  his  own  words,  "  Experience  in  China 
shows  that  now,  as  in  the  early  history  of  the  church,  Chris- 
tianity may  be  speedily  and  widely  propagated  by  the  spon- 
taneous efforts  and  silent  influence  of  private  Christians." 
A  large  proportion  of  the  stations  established  in  other  parts 
of  Shantung  province  have  also  originated  without  the  use 
of  native  paid  agents.  The  next  step  after  this  tentative  or- 
ganization under  leaders  is  to  ordain  elders.  There  are  nine- 
teen such  churches  in  the  Presbyterian  Mission.  No  one  is 
employed  who  has  not  already  shown  zeal  in  voluntary  evan- 
gelistic labor. 

In  all  non-Christian  nations,  and  nowhere  more  than  in 
China,  one  learns  to  question  the  motives  of  those  who  come 
as  inquirers.  Much  as  this  uncertainty  is  charged  against 
missions  by  their  foes,  none  recognize  it  so  keenly  as  the 
missionaries.  "I  suspect  every  Chinaman  who  applies  for 
baptism  —  every  one,"  said  the  Scotch  missionary.  Dr.  Mc- 
Kay, to  a  visitor  who  was  itinerating  with  him.  "  There 
may  be  a  quarrel  between  him  and  his  neighbors,  or  a  rich 
man  may  be  oppressing  him,  or  there  may  be  a  lawsuit 
pending,  and  he  thinks  that  by  joining  the  church  he  will  get 
help  from  the  foreigner,  or  at  least  he  will  see  that  one  of  his 
members  gets  fair  play,  and  the  advantage,  if  there  is  any." 
Yet  with  the  full  knowledge  of  all  this.  Dr.  McKay  reports 
in  his  mission,  now  fifteen  years  old,  2546  baptized,  two 
native  pastors,  thirty-eight  stations,  thirty-eight  preachers. 
He  says :  "  If  the  church  in  North  Formosa  was  now  left 
without  foreigners  or  foreign  help,  I  believe  it  would  grow 
and  prosper.  The  people  know  enough  of  the  gospel  to  ap- 
preciate it,  and  at  each  chapel  they  would  manage  to  find 
sufficient  to  support  a  preacher,  so  that  he  might  give  him- 
self wholly  to  the  work  of  preaching  and  teaching." 


70  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

Besides  such  difficulties  as  are  common  to  all  fields,  there 
are  others  peculiar  to  China.  Their  national  pride,  their 
patriotism,  conservatism,  and  superstition  combine  to  make 
them  hate  innovations  as  equally  insulting,  treasonable,  im- 
pious, and  dangerous.  Their  unreligious  nature  at  once  hin- 
ders a  response  to  the  spiritual  appeals  of  Christianity,  and 
permits  them  to  worship  with  equal  zeal  at  different  shrines. 
Their  self-righteousness  quenches  the  sense  of  sin  and  also 
such  religious  longings  as  one  finds  in  India.  Their  merce- 
nary spirit  prompts  them  to  serve  the  Christian's  God  purely 
for  pay,  or,  as  a  missionary  put  it,  to  become  the  compra- 
dore  of  a  church  just  as  they  would  be  the  compradore  of  a 
business  firm.  Their  imitative  ability  enables  them  to  learn 
their  lesson  quickly  and  to  preach  with  zeal  and  skill  from 
love  of  nothing  but  money.  This  is  the  great  difficulty 
with  native  preachers.  Buddhism,  in  which  only  the  priests 
are  full  Buddhists,  has  taught  them  that  one  who  takes  up  a 
religion  should  make  his  living  from  his  religion,  and  they 
are  only  too  apt  to  become  Christians  in  order  to  make  their 
living  from  Christianity. 

COREA 

Cross  with  me  now  to  that  strange  country,  Corea.  Land 
at  the  open  port  Chemulpoo.  Ride  twenty-five  miles  over 
mountains  and  across  rice-plains  on  a  Corean  pony,  so  low 
that  your  feet  almost  drag  on  the  ground,  into  the  beauti- 
ful, filthy  capital,  Seoul.  What  do  we  find  there  ?  A  people 
of  eighteen  millions,  in  a  land  full  of  undeveloped  resources, 
tributary  from  time  immemorial  to  China,  influenced  by 
Japan,  terrified  by  Russia  which  longs  to  seize  it,  but  strug- 
gling for  independence.  It  is  divided  between  Progression- 
ists and  Seclusionists,  with  practically  no  religion  save  an- 


China  —  Corea  —  Japan  71 

ccstor  worsliip,  and  is  now  accessible  to  Christianity.  We  find 
Presbyterian  and  Methodist  missionaries — a  few  of  them — 
tremendously  overburdened  by  work.  They  are  the  king's 
and  queen's  physicians,  heads  of  the  royal  hospital  and 
orphanage.  Three  Christian  men  from  Union  Seminary, 
nominated  by  our  government  and  paid  by  the  Coreans, 
have  charge  of  the  government  school.  An  American  is  for- 
eign adviser  to  the  king.  The  laws  against  Christianity  are 
still  unrepealed,  but  the  one  convert  whom  I  found  there  five 
years  ago,  seemingly  in  danger  of  his  life,  has  now  a  com- 
panionship of  between  forty  and  fifty.  After  but  three  years' 
labor,  a  native  church  was  formed  with  twenty-two  mem- 
bers. Now  there  are  at  least  two  churches,  and  we  read  of 
the  Coreans  celebrating  the  week  of  prayer  with  the  rest  of 
Christendom.  There  has  been  nothing  like  this  heretofore  in 
Asia.  It  seems  as  if  Corea  might  be  won  even  more  rapidly 
than  Japan.  The  secretary  of  the  embassy,  recently  in  this 
country,  is  Dr.  Allen,  a  former  missionary,  and  one  of  my 
hosts.  The  common  people  are  poor,  oppressed,  simple- 
minded,  friendly  to  foreigners.  But  to  have  only  a  dozen 
missionaries  for  these  eighteen  millions  is  a  reproach  to 
Christendom. 

JAPAN 

The  fascination  which  Japan  justly  exercises  over  the  gen- 
eral tourist  rises  to  inspiration  if  that  tourist  is  a  Christian 
seeking  signs  of  his  Lord's  kingdom.  The  sight  corresponds 
to  one's  dreams  of  apostolic  and  apocalyptic  times,  in  which 
we  see  great  kingdoms  uprooted  by  the  grain  of  mustard- 
seed,  nations  born  in  a  day,  and  the  Son  of  Man  coming  on 
the  clouds  of  heaven  in  all  his  glory. 

Step  with  me  from  the  California  steamer  to  the  first 


73  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

Asiatic  soil  at  Yokohama.  It  is  late  Saturday  afternoon. 
Early  the  next  mornino-  let  yourself  be  whirled  by  these 
swift  human  steeds  in  that  wonderful  jinrikisha  along  to 
church.  If  you  have  eyes  to  discern  the  significance  of  small 
things,  you  shall  have  this  morning  a  glimpse  into  the  future 
of  both  Japan  and  Asia.  The  building  is  called  the  Union 
Church,  and  is  of  common  European  structure.  At  eleven 
o'clock  Missionary  Knox  will  preach  to  an  English  audience. 
It  is  now  nine  o'clock.  As  we  enter,  a  native  usher  greets 
us  and  shows  us  to  a  seat.  We  find  ourselves  the  only 
foreigners  in  a  Japanese  congregation  of  400.  They  sit 
there  with  grave  decorum,  as  if  Christianity  were  their  an- 
cestral religion.  We  rub  our  eyes  to  waken  from  a  dream. 
Are  not  we  the  heathen,  the  ones  to  be  instructed  ?  How 
graceful  and  stately  the  pastor  in  his  native  dress,  whose 
flowing  folds  put  our  clerical  robes  to  the  blush  !  How 
awkward  the  assistant,  also  Japanese,  but  clad  in  European 
sack-coat  and  trousers,  which  in  these  surroundings  look  like 
relics  of  barbarism !  How  strange  the  familiar  tunes  sung 
in  an  unknown  tongue,  under  the  leadership  of  that  choir  of 
girls  drawn  from  a  mission  school !  How  attentive  the  swarthy 
listeners,  how  earnest  and  practical  the  discourse !  How  af- 
fecting the  ensuing  baptism,  by  their  own  countryman,  of 
nine  men  and  women,  just  renouncing  their  former  beliefs 
for  Christ,  and  of  three  children  brought  there  by  their 
Christian  parents,  themselves  just  emerged  from  darkness 
and  error !  Twenty  years  ago  there  was  not  a  church  in  all 
this  land,  and  hardly  a  convert,  while  Christianity  was  a  pro- 
hibited religion.  Now  this  church  has  all  the  solidity  and 
maturity  of  age.  It  so  happened  that  my  companion,  when 
I  made  this  visit,  was  a  Chinese  just  returning  from  Wash- 
ington, where  he  had  been  interpreter  to  his  uncle,  the  Chi- 


China  —  Corea  —  Japan  73 

nese  minister.  We  bad  found  him  on  the  steamer  an  intelli- 
gent, genial  companion,  an  agnostic  Confucianist,  and  thor- 
oughly sceptical  of  the  progress  of  Christianity  cither  in  China 
or  in  Japan.  But  he  was  apparently  no  less  affected  than  I  at 
the  sight  of  this  large  assemblage  of  Japanese  Christians  wor- 
shipping God  in  the  same  way  as  be  found  Americans  doing 
in  Dr.  Gurley's  church  in  America.  One  such  sight  as  that 
is  argument  enough  for  the  possibilities  of  Christianity  in 
Asia.  A  truth  flashes  upon  us  here  which  I  predict,  as  we 
see  more  of  the  mission  field,  will  grow  clearer  and  clearer; 
the  truth  that,  after  all,  Christianity  is  an  oriental  religion. 
Perhaps,  too,  the  query  may  come  to  us  whether  we  occi- 
dentals are  not  the  tyros  and  blunderers  in  our  comprehen- 
sion of  it,  while  the  Asiatics  may  at  some  time  resume  their 
leadership  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 

One  month  spent  in  Tokio  and  Yokohama  will  fill  us  to 
the  brim  with  signs  and  proofs  of  the  coming  kingdom. 
With  a  missionary  friend  we  may  flit  on  Sunday  from  church 
to  church,  in  buildings  small,  rude,  and  primitive,  but  crowded 
with  native  Christians,  seated  on  their  mats,  men  and  women 
apart,  and  led  by  native  pastors  who  are  wholly  or  largely 
supported  by  native  offerings.  What  gifts  of  continuance  in 
prayer  or  preaching  those  pastors  have,  only  surpassed  by  the 
gifts  of  audience  which  their  hearers  possess!  In  the  week 
we  pass  from  school  to  school,  built  and  taught  by  mission- 
aries and  natives.  We  spend  the  Commencement  season  there, 
seeing  a  public  hall  packed  for  the  Christian  exercises  of  grad- 
uation at  the  Union  Seminary  of  Tokio.  We  sit  as  honorary 
members  in  the  Presbytery  of  Tokio,  where  the  stately  pastor 
from  Yokohama  is  moderator,  where  three-fourths  of  the 
members  are  Japanese,  who  are  also  the  aggressive  element, 
the  few  missionaries  beinir  conservative  and  cautious. 


74  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

We  meet  some  of  the  Presbyterian  pastors  socially  at  the 
house  of  Missionary  Miller,  a  house  large  and  elegant  enough 
to  make  hostile  critics  gnash  their  teeth,  but  a  house  built 
entirely  with  the  private  money  of  one  who  has  consecrated 
himself  and  all  he  has  to  the  cause  of  Christianity  in  Japan, 
and  who  makes  his  home  a  social  and  business  centre  for 
the  broadening  Christian  life  of  Tokio.  He  has  since  given 
this  beautiful  home  to  be  used  entirely  for  the  extension  of 
Christian  work. 

Next  to  our  first  sight  of  a  Japanese  Christian  congrega- 
tion will  stand,  I  think,  a  conference  with  some  other  native 
pastors  in  the  home  of  one  of  their  number.  Our  host 
is  Pastor  Kozaki,  then  at  the  head  of  a  young,  flourishing 
church  in  Tokio,  now  principal  of  the  Doshisha  at  Kioto. 
We  reach  his  house,  by  appointment,  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  At  our  knock  the  door  of  the  little  bird-cage  opens. 
Our  shoes  are  removed  and  placed  beside  a  row  of  wooden 
shoes.  In  stocking  feet,  we  mount  the  slender  staircase  to 
the  upper  room.  At  half -past  seven  this  bright  morning 
they  have  gathered  for  their  regular  weekly  prayer-meeting. 
Now  they  are  ready  to  confer  with  us  as  to  the  kingdom  of 
God  in  Japan.  One  of  them  is  a  Methodist,  one  the  editor 
of  the  Japanese  Christian  Weekly.  One  is  Pastor  Harada, 
who  since  then  has  been  studying  at  Yale  Divinity  School, 
and  is  now  pastor  of  the  leading  Tokio  church.  The  others 
are  Congregational  pastors  from  Tokio  and  its  vicinity. 
We  are  the  only  Europeans.  The  room  is  bare.  They  re- 
sume their  excruciating  attitude  of  sitting  upon  their  heels, 
but  invite  us  to  sit  more  conveniently,  cross-legged  on  a 
cushion. 

What  vivid  memories  arise  of  that  morning  conference 
with  some  of  the  first  converts,  now  leading  pastors  in  Ja- 


China  —  Corea  —  Japan  76 

pan!  It  is  the  day  of  the  origins  of  Christianity.  The 
church  was  not  then  half  as  old  in  Japan  as  Jesus  was  in 
Palestine  wlien  he  began  to  be  manifested  to  men.  These 
first  converts  are  the  apostles  and  church  fathers  of  Japan, 
yes,  perhaps  of  Asia.  They  are  men  of  strong  and  indepen- 
dent character,  who  of  their  own  accord  have  brouo-ht  Con- 
gregationalism from  the  south  into  Tokio,  a  Presbyterian 
field,  and  who  call  their  churclies  Independent  rather  than 
Congregational.  These  cliurchcs  are  fully  self-supportinf, 
and  glory  in  their  freedom. 

There  are  important  inquiries  to  which  such  men  can  give 
answers  worth  seeking.  Pastor  Kozaki  acts  as  interpreter, 
while  I  put  questions  as  follows,  after  which  they  discuss 
them  for  two  hours:  1.  How  soon  may  we  expect  to  see 
Japan  adopt  the  form  of  the  Christian  religion  ?  2.  What 
possibility  is  there  of  the  establishment  of  a  Japanese  State 
Church  ?  3.  What  is  the  prospect  of  a  speedy  and  general 
outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit?  4.  What  motive  in  Chris- 
tianity appeals  most  readily  and  most  strongly  to  the  people 
of  Japan  ?  5.  What  advantages  or  disadvantages  has  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  in  its  work  in  Japan  ?  6.  What 
will  become  of  the  property  of  the  temples  as  their  worship 
declines? 

Of  the  answers,  given  with  great  caution  and  sagacity  by 
the  Tokio  pastors,  both  Presbyterian  and  Congregational, 
I  will  only  say  that  they  have  furnished  me  the  key  for  the 
understanding  of  much  that  has  since  happened,  as  well  as 
for  my  estimate  of  the  future. 

Two  other  contrasted  scenes  will,  perhaps,  best  serve  to 
show  the  actual  state  of  mission  work  in  Japan. 

Late  in  July  we  leave  the  flat,  beautiful,  malarial  lice- 
plains  of  Kioto,  and  seek  a  refuge  from  the  oppressive  heat 


76  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

of  South  Japan  on  the  slopes  of  Mount  Hiyeizan.  It  tow- 
ers 3000  feet  above  the  city,  and  has  long-  been  held  a 
sacred  peak  as  the  home  of  monkeys,  monks,  and  Buddh- 
ist temples.  But  while  many  of  all  three  have  decayed, 
our  missionaries  have  secured  here  a  site  for  a  camp  with 
bamboo  water-pipes  distributing  supplies  drawn  from  a 
spring  that  bubbles  up  under  one  of  these  Buddhist  temples. 
As  we  rise  into  the  cooler  air  near  the  summit  we  come  into 
noble  forests,  scattered  about  in  which  are  the  white  tents 
of  our  friends.  We  hear  familiar  names — DeForest,  Allchin, 
Berry,  Gulick.  Each  has  chosen  a  secluded  or  sightly  spot 
apart  by  himself,  yet  near  to  the  others.  Japanese  friends 
and  servants  flit  from  tent  to  tent.  The  ancient  pilgrim 
paths  to  the  shrines  remain,  even  the  great  print  of  Buddha's 
foot  being  shown,  and  many  a  walk  to  the  old  temples,  to 
springs,  or  to  the  peak  is  planned.  The  highest  point  in  the 
camp  is  occupied  by  the  chapel  tent,  where  on  Sunday  our 
working  brethren  listen  to  the  gospel  from  the  lips  of  an 
American  pastor.  This  camp  is  the  vacation  home  of  the 
missionaries.  Here  many  of  their  burdens  are  rolled  off, 
while  they  make  fresh  studies  and  new  plans  for  the  future. 
Hither  the  native  brethren,  left  in  charge  of  the  work  in  the 
plains,  make  a  pilgrimage  for  advice  in  perplexity.  Here  we 
have  sweet  communion  with  our  brothers  and  sisters,  who 
have  given  their  lives  to  this  work,  and  learn  many  a  secret 
of  missionary  trials  and  joys,  which  finds  utterance  only  in 
the  relaxation  and  confidingness  of  these  quiet  hours.  And 
here  next  week,  the  first  in  August,  is  held  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Japan  Mission,  with  its  reports,  discussions,  and 
plans  for  the  coming  year.  This  is  Saratoga  and  Pittsfield 
combined,  the  native  home  society  and  the  foreign  society 
being  alike  represented. 


China  —  Corea  —  Japan  77 

Let  us  leave,  liowcver,  on  one  of  these  hot  days  and  drop 
down  into  the  steaming  plain,  reaching  Osaka  on  Saturday 
evening.  We  appropriate  one  of  the  empty  houses,  whose 
owner  we  have  just  left  on  the  hills.  As  we  pass  through 
its  deserted  rooms  we  feel  the  need  and  the  preciousness  of 
the  home  objects  treasured  there — the  pictures,  the  books, 
the  piano,  the  knickknacks — so  many  reminders  of  distant 
Christian  friends  in  a  foreign  land. 

Next  day  the  servant  draws  us  to  church  in  the  jinrikisha, 
leaves  his  vehicle  at  the  door,  and  comes  in  to  the  service. 
Everything  is  native.  Pastor  Hori  greets  us  and  interprets 
our  discourse.  Now  we  are  in  Christendom  again.  But 
that  afternoon  we  meet  a  man,  a  hero,  who  is  one  of  the 
best  exponents  of  Japanese  Christianity.  He  has  dragged 
himself  from  his  bed  in  the  hospital  to  come  and  dine  with 
us.  A  rare,  pale,  sweet,  strong  spirit.  He  seems  near  the 
other  world.  Now  he  is  there.  Then  he  was  still  claimed 
as  pastor  by  his  church,  though  for  months  already  dis- 
abled. This  is  Mr.  Sawayama,  whose  life  is  written  and 
placed  beside  that  of  Neesima  as  one  of  the  martyrs  of 
Christianity  in  Japan.  lie  came  to  Ann  Arbor  years  ago, 
among  the  first  group  of  those  who  rushed  forth  to  the  gar- 
dens of  the  Hesperides,  the  new  fields  of  western  learning. 
He  came  as  a  Buddhist,  he  returned  a  Christian,  seeking  to 
serve  his  Lord  and  his  people  at  once.  The  government  de- 
sired his  services,  and  the  path  to  distinction  was  open.  But 
a  little  band  of  native  Christians  had  been  fired  by  the  en- 
thusiasm of  their  American  teacher.  Why  should  not  they 
have  a  self-sacrificing,  self-supporting  church,  independent 
of  foreign  subsidies  ?  If  only  they  could  find  the  self-sacri- 
ficing pastor!  They  called  Sawayama.  They  could  offer 
for  his  support  six  dollars  a  month.     He  declined  all  other 


78  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

proposals,  accepted  their  terms,  and  became  the  pastor  of 
the  first  never-subsidized,  ever  self-supporting  church  in 
Japan. 

And  now,  after  a  few  years'  work,  this  tenant  of  the  hos- 
pital was  the  outcome  of  it  all.  But  not  all  the  outcome. 
There  were  in  1891  in  Osaka  five  independent  Congrega- 
tional churches,  three  native  ministers,  four  evangelists,  1208 
members,  and  eight  Sunday-schools,  with  960  scholars.  The 
contributions  amounted  to  $3523  a  year.  Sustained  by  one 
or  all  of  these  are  a  hospital,  a  dispensary,  four  English 
schools  for  young  men,  and  one  remarkable  boarding-school 
for  girls,  built,  supported,  controlled,  and,  for  the  most  part, 
instructed  by  Japanese.  Besides  this  should  be  mentioned 
mission  work  in  a  dozen  places  in  Osaka,  with  its  quarter  of 
a  million  inhabitants,  and  in  a  dozen  neighboring  towns  and 
villages.  So  much  of  outcome  was  already  manifest.  And 
the  Christian  city  of  Osaka  that  is  yet  to  be  will  look  back 
to  Mr.  Sawayama's  short  life  as  to  one  of  its  primal  sources. 
He  gave  himself ;  he  walked  with  God,  and  having  done  his 
great  work,  he  was  not,  for  God  took  him.  But  the  work 
goes  on.  It  is  such  instances  as  this  that  give  faith  for  dark- 
est hours  and  longest  years  of  mission  work.  They  do  not 
come  often,  but  when  they  do  occur  they  are  typical  and 
conclusive  of  multiplied  approximative  possibilities  that  shall 
fill  the  church.  Our  friend  Ahok,  the  Christian  millionaire 
of  Foo-chow,  and  Sawayama,  starving  pastor  at  six  dollars  a 
month  at  Osaka!  This  Chinese  and  this  Japanese  now  com- 
mune together  in  heaven,  and  speak  of  their  lands  that  shall 
be  Christianized  by  their  own  countrymen,  each  country,  per- 
haps, locking  in  with  the  other  for  mutual  aid  in  their  com- 
mon work. 

The  history  of  Protestant  missions  in  Japan  is  short.    They 


China  —  Corea  —  Japan  79 

were  preceded  by  Roman  Catholic  missions,  which  liave  left 
heroic  tales  of  martyrdom  and  a  few  thousand  nominal  Chris- 
tians, yet  little  else.  Had  they  left  the  Bible  behind  them, 
the  reopening  of  Japan  might  have  shown  us  the  same  sight 
as  we  saw  in  Madagascar,  closed  under  somewhat  similar 
circumstances — a  living,  thriving,  indigenous  church.  Yet 
even  as  it  was,  many  descendants  of  the  first  converts  have 
been  discovered  by  the  Roman  Catholics.  They  had  no  for- 
eign priests  or  missionaries  with  them.  They  were  almost 
entirely  ignorant  of  Christianity.  They  worshipped  the  pict- 
ure of  the  Christian's  God.  Hardly  anything  but  the  name 
lias  survived.  A  French  priest  in  Kobe  told  me  of  finding 
that  the  rite  of  baptism  had  been  transmitted  from  genera- 
tion to  generation  in  these  Christian  communities,  being  ad- 
ministered by  the  patriarch  of  each  people,  who  handed  down 
to  his  successor  the  secret  formula  of  baptism.  After  much 
persuasion  one  of  these  patriarchs  was  induced  to  confide  to 
my  informant  the  formula  with  which  he  had  been  baptizing 
for  many  years.  What  was  his  liorror  to  find  that  the  for- 
mula had  been  corrupted  !  Not  in  the  name  of  the  blessed 
Trinity,  but  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Jerusalem,  had  whole 
generations  of  Japanese  been  baptized.  "Will  your  church 
recognize  such  baptism  as  valid?"  I  asked  him.  "Ah  no," 
said  he;  "the  church  must  have  its  rules.  But  then  God  is 
a  good  deal  kinder  than  the  church." 

That  God  cares  for  his  church  was  shown  in  Japan,  for 
about  two  centuries  and  a  quarter  after  the  capture  of  Hara 
Castle  Commodore  Perry  sailed  into  Tokio  Bay,  and  with 
him  came  Christianity.  Fourteen  years  before  the  fall  of 
Hara  Castle  that  is,  in  1624,  all  foreigners,  except  Dutch 
and  Chinese,  were  banished  from  Japan.  "  By  the  century 
of  intercourse  with   European   nations,"  writes  an  author, 


80  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

"  she  had  gained  the  knowledge  of  gunpowder,  firearms,  and 
tobacco  smoking;  the  enrichment  of  lier  vocabulary  with  a 
few  foreign  words;  some  additions  to  her  familiar  forms  of 
disease,  and  an  inveterate  hatred  of  Christianity.  Content 
with  these  acquirements,  and  desiring  no  more,  she  retired 
from  public  gaze.  The  curious  cabinet  which  had  so  sud- 
denly opened,  and  into  the  secret  drawers  of  which  the  eyes 
of  Portuguese,  Spaniards,  English,  and  Dutch  had  so  eagerly 
pried,  was  as  suddenly  locked  and  the  key  hidden  carefully 
away  for  upwards  of  two  centuries." 

The  first  stage  of  mission  work  began  in  1859,  when  four 
ports  were  declared  open,  and  three  American  societies  made 
an  entrance.  These  were  followed  in  1860  by  the  American 
Baptists,  in  1869  by  the  American  Board,  in  1873  by  the 
American  Methodists.  The  first  period  was  one  of  suspicion, 
danger,  hatred,  and  persecution  of  foreigners.  Christianity 
was  still  forbidden.  The  language  was  to  be  mastered,  the 
hearts  of  the  people  gained.  Little  direct  work  could  be 
done,  except  in  teaching  schools.  Unfortunately,  too,  some 
positions  of  importance  were  assigned  to  foreigners  who  were 
intensely  hostile  to  Christianity ;  yet  there  were  providential 
indications  of  coming  good.  Many  of  the  leading  Congre- 
gational pastors  to-day  are  the  graduates  of  Captain  Janes's 
school.  This  American  gentleman,  employed  as  a  school- 
teacher at  Kumamoto,  in  Kiushu,  led  many  of  his  students 
to  Christ.  The  history  of  their  conversion  and  persecutions 
would  make  a  thrilling  volume.  More  than  thirty  of  them, 
called  the  Kumamoto  band,  entered  the  Doshisha  at  Kioto, 
and  soon  after  joined  the  church.  Twelve  of  them  gradu- 
ated irom  the  theological  department  in  1879,  and  are  now 
leading  in  educational,  pastoral,  evangelistic,  and  literary 
work. 


China  —  Corea  —  Jax)an  81 

Another  American,  Mr.  E.  Warren  Clark,  was  engaged  as 
a  teacher  of  science  at  the  city  of  Shidzuoka.  Arrived  in 
Japan,  he  found  himself  forbidden  to  teach  Christianity  by 
the  offered  engagement,  and  bound  to  silence  for  three  years. 
He  had  spent  all  his  money,  and  was  urged  by  many  to  sign 
the  agreement ;  but  he  refused.  Unless  the  clause  were  struck 
out,  he  informed  the  government  that  he  must  decline  to  go 
on.  "  It  is  impossible,"  he  added,  *'  for  a  Christian  to  dwell 
three  years  in  the  midst  of  a  pagan  people  and  keep  entire 
silence  on  the  subject  nearest  his  heart."  The  clause  was 
struck  out.  He  began  the  very  first  Sunday  he  was  at  Shid- 
zuoka, and  conducted  a  Bible  class  the  whole  time  he  was 
there.  When  transferred  to  Tokio  he  held  three  Bible 
classes  every  Sunday  for  the  benefit  of  different  classes  of 
students. 

With  all  the  labor  of  missionaries  and  teachers,  the  first 
convert  was  not  baptized  until  18G4.  This  was  Yano  Riu, 
the  teacher  of  Mr.  Ballagh.  Up  to  the  spring  of  1872  only 
ten  converts  had  been  baptized  in  thirteen  years.  The  first 
Japanese  church  was  formed  by  Mr.  Ballagh  in  1872  with 
eleven  members. 

With  this  event  the  second  and  present  period  may  be 
said  to  have  begun,  when  the  whole  country  was  practically 
laid  open  to  evangelization. 

Since  the  above  was  written,  Japan  has  fully  come  for  the 
first  time  to  an  intense  consciousness  of  itself  as  a  nation.  It 
has  become  distrustful  of  western  nations,  and  deeply  resents 
the  ex-territoriality  that  marks  it  as  only  a  semi-civilized  land. 
This  spirit  has  naturally  appeared  in  the  churches,  and  has 
led  to  many  severe  criticisms  of  missionaries.  Added  to 
this,  the  transition  that  Christian  lands  are  undergoing  theo- 


82  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

logically  lias  manifested  itself  there,  and  has  given  rise  to 
earnest  desire  on  the  part  of  leading  Christians  to  examine 
for  themselves  the  grounds  of  faith,  and  to  adopt  their  own 
creeds  in  the  place  of  those  that  are  carried  to  them.  These 
causes  have  checked  the  numerical  growth  of  Christianity, 
but  the  spirit  of  Christ  and  his  teachings  are  affecting  every 
department  of  life  in  the  whole  nation. 


CHAPTER  IV 

INDIA 

Amid  great  varieties  of  scenery  and  dialect,  China,  the 
more  we  understand  it,  presents  itself  to  us  as  homogeneous 
and  united  in  all  its  vast  population,  territory,  and  history. 

On  landing  in  India  the  first  impression  of  oneness  is 
yet  stronger.  The  monotony  of  those  vast  plains  seems  to 
repeat  itself  in  the  life  of  the  people.  But  even  before  you 
have  penetrated  to  the  Ghats  in  the  south,  the  Vindhyas 
in  the  centre,  or  the  Himalayas  in  the  north — these  amazing 
breaks  into  the  monotony  of  the  plains — you  will  have  dis- 
covered that  many  seeming  resemblances  among  the  people 
are  only  apparent.  Hinduism,  it  is  true,  spreads  a  veil  of 
similarity  over  the  greater  part  of  India.  But  lift  that 
veil  and  what  diversities  are  disclosed ! 

The  280,000,000  who  inhabit  the  favored  central  south- 
ern promontory  of  Asia,  corresponding  to  the  position  of 
Italy  in  Europe  between  the  Spanish  and  the  Greek  prom- 
ontories, do  not  constitute  one  people  even  as  nearly  as  do 
the  inhabitants  of  Europe.  There,  common  ideas,  a  com- 
mon law,  and  a  common  Christianity  have  produced  com- 
mon social  traits  and  affinities.  India,  like  Europe,  is  a 
continent  rather  than  a  country.  But  it  is  a  continent  of 
incoherencies,  a  mere  geographical  expression  in  fact.  It 
is  a  whole  world  in  itself,  full  of  diversities,  contrasts,  and 
mutual  repellancies — more  like  the  old  Roman  world,  which 


84  Modern  Missioris  in  the  East 

gathered  all  the  odds  and  ends  of  creation  within  one  net, 
than  anything  else  we  know. 

I  emphasize  this  fact  because  no  statement  I  had  ever 
read  or  heard  had  given  me  an  adequate  idea  of  the  hetero- 
geneousness  of  India.  I  learned  it  only  in  journeying  up 
and  down  and  to  and  fro  through  that  vast  congeries  of 
lands  and  peoples.  Once  learned,  I  found  I  had  in  it  the 
key  to  the  history,  and  especially  to  the  mission  enterprise 
in  that  world  of  India. 

Ethnology  you  must  study  here  as  you  would  study 
geology.  Eace  strata  are  superimposed  one  upon  another 
in  every  possible  variety  and  combination,  now  buried  deep, 
now  breaking  through,  contorted  and  erupted.  Speech 
fossils  abound  in  every  variety.  There  are  signs  of  great 
historic  subsidences  and  cataclysms.  Over  the  whole  sur- 
face are  spread  striations  and  erosions  and  diverse  mental 
and  social  marks  of  the  glacial  epoch  when  vast  ice  masses 
from  the  north  overspread  the  country,  grinding  and  level- 
ling and  crusting  the  land  with  the  sweep  of  Brahmanism 
which  held  India  in  its  mighty  grip. 

Now  into  this  so  strangely  stratified  mass  of  nationali- 
ties piled  horizontally  one  upon  another,  conglomerated 
each  with  the  others,  there  is  introduced  a  new  divisive 
force  which  cleaves  society  vertically,  and  splits  it  asunder 
by  many  fissures  and  chasms,  even  as  the  glacial  ice  is 
rent.  It  disintegrates  society,  yet  at  the  same  time  reor- 
ganizes and  reconstructs  it  on  a  new  system,  the  cellular 
system  building  it  up  around  a  great  variety  of  new  social 
centres,  each  group  being  nucleated  within  impassable  par- 
tition walls,  yet  all  at  base  compacted  into  one  solid  mass. 

This  strange  principle,  as  cohesive  as  it  is  divisive,  which 
at  once  triturates  and  cements  Hindu  society,  is  what  we 


India  85 

call  caste^  which  has  no  parallel  in  any  other  land.  The  old 
fourfold  caste-division  of  the  books  is  largely  fanciful  and 
almost  useless.  Caste,  as  we  find  it  in  India,  organizes  a 
thousand  mutually  repellent  social  units,  yet  dominates 
them  all  with  one  idea.  It  springs  not  from  one  force,  but 
from  many,  all  of  which  arc  concentrated  on  one  end.  Eth- 
nological, political,  professional,  sectarian  distinctions  are 
all  interwoven.  The  sense  of  social  and  religious  privi- 
lege, the  prejudice  of  race  and  employment,  the  exclusive- 
ness  of  trades  unions,  the  limitations  of  benefit  societies 
— these  diverse  forces  are  all  combined  into  one  in  caste 
(the  devil's  masterpiece,  as  it  is  well  called) — and  then  the 
system  is  stamped  with  the  awful  and  irrevocable  sanc- 
tions of  heaven. 

Once  on  the  ground,  you  find  the  Brahmans,  indeed,  al- 
ways representing  the  same  haughty  claims,  the  same  Aryan 
blood,  usually  the  same  high  type  of  development.  But 
1886  separate  Brahmanical  tribes  have  been  enumerated, 
many  of  which  will  not  eat  or  intermarry  with  one  another. 
The  number  of  tribes,  clans,  septs,  castes,  sub-castes,  out- 
castes,  religious  orders  and  devotional  brotherhoods,  these 
primary  social  units  of  India,  which  at  once  unite  and  iso- 
late the  people,  mounts  into  the  thousands,  lowest  in  the 
scale  being,  from  their  employment,  the  leathermen,  the 
sweepers,  and  the  scavengers,  who  are  also  aboriginal  in 
race.  And  the  lowest  are  even  more  tenacious  of  the  dis- 
tinctions which  subdivide  them  than  are  those  of  higher 
rank. 

It  is  with  this  caste-power  more  than  with  any  other  that 
Christianity  has  to  reckon.  It  has  become  a  religion  to 
Hindus,  often  the  relic  to  which  all  religion  has  dwindled, 
as  in  feudal  times  Christianity  frequently  shrank  to  mere 


86  3Iodern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

chivalry.  "  So  long  as  I  am  high  caste,"  says  my  Brahman 
guide  in  the  temple  at  Tanjore,  when  questioned  as  to  his 
faith  in  the  worship  of  the  stone  bulls — "  so  long  as  I  am 
hiofh  caste,  I  must  believe." 

The  servant  who  attends  me  to  the  Karli  Caves  will  fast 
rather  than  accept  the  proffered  share  of  my  lunch.  "  Po- 
liteness forbids  me  to  refuse,  but  my  caste  forbids  me  to 
eat,"  says  the  young  Brahman  student,  my  railway  com- 
panion, as  he  sets  the  offered  food  one  side. 

A  government  inspector  goes  into  a  native  school  in  the 
Bombay  Presidency,  which  has  been  furnished  with  all 
kinds  of  European  educational  furniture,  even  to  the  inevi- 
table cane.  Just  at  the  side  of  the  master's  chair  is  a 
great  heap  of  hard  and  rugged  clods  of  earth.  "  What  is 
the  use  of  these?"  "Oh,  sir  !  don't  you  see  that  row  of 
boys  sitting  at  the  back,  separate  from  all  others  ?  Those 
are  low-caste  boys,  and  I  cannot  apply  the  cane  to  them, 
because  if  I  did  I  should  be  defiled  ;  but  if  any  one  of  them 
misbehaves  himself,  I  just  take  up  a  clod  and  throw  it  at 
him."  Poor  brave  little  Dr.  Joshee  died  a  martyr  to  her  at- 
tempt to  join  western  training  to  her  native  caste.  It  is 
this  iron  system  that  most  dreads  the  prophetic  shadows 
of  the  oncoming  European  life. 

Not  many  years  ago  the  sacred  city  of  Poona  was  spe- 
cially guarded  against  danger  of  defiling  its  lordly  Brah- 
mans.  No  people  of  low  caste  were  allowed  to  remain  in 
the  city,  except  between  the  hours  of  nine  in  the  morning 
and  three  in  the  afternoon.  During  these  hours  of  midday 
their  diminished  shadows  permitted  the  Brahmans  to  walk 
the  street  without  excessive  fear  of  defilement  from  contact. 
But  when  the  shadows  began  to  lengthen  and  to  threaten, 
their  owners  were  compelled  to  leave  those  sacred  men  in 


India  87 

peace  of  mind,  and  betake  themselves  and  their  shadows 
without  the  hallowed  precincts. 

Caste  is  by  no  means  an  unmixed  evil.  It  has  features 
of  the  trade  guild,  the  knights  of  labor,  the  assurance  soci- 
ety, and  the  church.  But  it  is  itself  a  huge  shadow,  born 
of  hours  of  dusk,  darkening  and  polluting  the  life  upon 
which  it  falls  —  the  grotesque  enlargement  and  caricature 
of  the  truth  that  lies  in  the  spiritual  brotherhood  of  those 
who  are  Christ's.  What  a  work  for  one  life,  to  bear  the 
light  to  them ! 

But  among  these  dividing,  diversifying,  often  antagoniz- 
ing forces,  there  yet  remains  one  to  be  considered — the 
religions  of  India. 

It  is  true  that  nineteen  out  of  every  twenty  in  this  coun- 
try are  either  Hindus  or  Mohammedans,  and  that  from 
fourteen  to  fifteen  out  of  the  twenty  are  Hindus.  Yet  this 
fact  only  hides  the  diversity.  It  is  not  enough  to  say  that 
there  are  Hindus,  Mohammedans,  Jains,  Sikhs,  Parsees,  and 
Christians  in  the  land !  For  under  the  veil  of  Hindu  simi- 
larity there  still  exist  all  the  original  varieties  of  fetich, 
nature,  hero,  ancestor,  and  demon  worship.  These  native 
religions  are  largely  Hinduized,  but  not  removed  or  truly 
reconciled  ;  and  social  customs  correspond.  Yet  Hinduism, 
like  caste,  has  its  cohesive  as  well  as  its  divisive  side.  I 
shall  therefore  treat  it  as  forming  with  caste  the  first  of  a 
series  of  forces  which  have  been  steadily  assimilating  the 
heterogeneous  elements  of  this  Indian  continent,  and  pre- 
paring them  some  day  to  be  one  land  and  one  people. 

Here  I  must  resort  to  that  accurate  and  authoritative 
characterization  of  experts  which  I  have  found  best  descrip- 
tive. 

"  The  religion   of  the   non-Mohammedan  population  of 


88  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

India,"  says  Sir  Alfred  Lyall,  "  is  as  a  tangled  jungle  of 
disorderly  superstitions,  ghosts,  demons,  demi-gods,  and 
deified  saints,  household  gods,  local  gods,  tribal  gods,  uni- 
versal gods,  with  their  countless  shrines  and  temples  and 
the  din  of  their  discordant  rites ;  deities  who  abhor  a  fly's 
death,  and  those  who  still  delight  in  human  sacrifices. 
.  .  .  Brahmanism  chiefly  registers  and  confirms  the  cus- 
toms of  lower  races.  Being  itself  an  inorganic  sort  of 
religion,  it  has  never  attempted  any  sweeping  reforms  of 
the  rude  tribal  customs,  such  as  are  introduced  everywhere 
by  Christianity  or  Islam.  The  word  Hindu  denotes  no 
common  religious  denomination,  but  comprises  a  vast  mul- 
titude of  Indians  who  have  for  ages  been  absorbed,  beyond 
all  other  peoples  npon  earth,  in  attempting  to  decipher  the 
ways  of  God  with  mankind  and  the  tokens  of  divinity." 

This  is  Dr.  Hunter's  definition :  "  Hinduism  is  a  social 
organization  and  a  religious  confederacy.  Socially,  it  rests 
on  caste.  Religiously,  it  represents  the  coalition  of  the  old 
Vedic  faith  of  Brahmans,  with  Buddhism  on  one  side,  and 
with  ruder  rites  of  pre- Aryan  and  Indo-Scythic  races  on  the 
other.  .  .  .  Hinduism  is  internally  loosely  coherent,  but 
greatly  resistant  to  external  pressure." 

Dr.  Murray  Mitchell  writes:  ''Later  Hinduism  is  a  jum- 
ble of  all  things  :  polytheistic  pantheism  ;  much  of  Buddh- 
ism; something  apparently  of  Christianity,  but  terribly 
disfigured ;  a  science  wholly  outrageous  ;  shreds  of  history 
twisted  into  wild  mythology ;  the  bold  poetry  of  the  older 
books  understood  as  literal  prose  ;  any  local  deity,  any 
demon  of  the  aborigines,  however  hideous,  identified  with 
some  accredited  Hindu  divinity  ;  any  custom,  however  re- 
pugnant to  common-sense  or  common  decency,  accepted 
and  explained — in  a  word,  it  has  been  omnivorous ;  it  has 


Liclia  89 

partially  absorbed  and  assimilated  every  system  of*belief, 
every  form  of  worship  v^ith  which  it  has  come  in  contact. 
.  .  .  Only  to  one  or  two  things  has  it  remained  inflexibly 
true.  It  has  steadily  upheld  the  proudest  pretensions  of 
the  Brahman,  and  it  has  never  relaxed  the  sternest  restric- 
tions of  caste.  It  was  in  defence  of  these  that  it  fought 
Buddhism  to  the  death,  finally  expelling  it  from  the  coun- 
try, appropriating  many  of  its  benevolent  features  but  none 
of  its  equality." 

In  addition,  it  should  be  said  that  the  worship  of  ninety 
per  cent,  of  the  people  of  India  to-day  is  a  worship  of  fear. 
The  great  mass  are  lifelong  victims  of  a  mental  disease  best 
called  demonophohia.  Their  tutelary  gods  are  those  that 
deliver  them  from  demons. 

Counting  Hinduism  with  caste  as  a  first  unifying  power, 
a  second  influence  for  unity  has  been  the  Mohammedan 
rule  of  the  Mughal  line,  which,  lasting  nominally,  though 
not  really,  for  330  years,  established  a  uniform  revenue  and 
land  system,  and  left  40,000,000  of  Mohammedans  in 
India. 

The  third  great  power  for  unity  came  with  English  rule. 

From  my  own  experience  I  can  testify  that  the  pax,  lex, 
lingua  Britannicce  are  mightily  binding  these  peoples  to- 
gether. For  centuries  Hindus  and  Mohammedans  had 
been  continually  fighting,  both  among  themselves  and  with 
one  another.  I  travelled  three  times  across  the  country 
from  Cape  Comorin  to  the  Himalayas,  and  found  naught 
but  peace.  Where  there  were  soldiers,  they  were  resting 
in  their  barracks — though  50,000  of  them  are  English 
when  the  full  force  is  there. 

The  administration  of  justice  by  the  English  courts  and 
collectors  I  found  everywhere  honored  by  the  natives,  who, 


90  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

if  they  do  not  think  their  conquerors  easy  or  agreeable, 
uniformly  acknowledge  them  to  be  just. 

In  December,  1886,  I  attended  in  Calcutta  the  second  an- 
nual convention  of  the  Hindu  National  Congress,  represent- 
ing political  associations  all  over  the  country.  It  was  an 
assembly  from  many  nationalities,  languages,  and  religions. 
At  the  social  reception  I  conversed  alike  with  men  from 
British  India  and  various  feudatory  states — with  Hindu,  Mo- 
hammedan, Parsee,  and  Christian  delegates.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  a  few  speeches  made  in  Hindostani,  the  official 
language  used  throughout  the  entire  session  of  the  congress 
was  the  English  language.  Scientia  et  Universitas  Britan- 
nicce  make  out  the  five  points  of  Anglicism  about  which  the 
new  Indian  life  is  forming.  Until  of  late  India  has  never 
had  a  history,  not  only  because  the  Hindus  have  never  had 
the  historic  sense  to  write  one  page  of  it,  but  yet  more  be- 
cause they  have  never  had  the  national  life  to  create  one 
year  of  it.  Far  different  from  China  and  Japan,  patriotism 
for  the  country  at  large  has  here  been  an  impossible  senti- 
ment, and  has  been  usurped  by  a  narrow  and  fanatical  pride 
in  Brahmanical  caste  or  in  Mohammedan  rule  and  religion. 
But  now,  under  British  sway,  the  idea  of  one  country,  one 
people,  and  one  common  life  is  more  and  more  possessing 
the  minds  of  men,  and  leading  them  to  a  true  unity  which 
as  it  approaches  will  bring  independence  as  well. 

But  there  is  a  fourth  integrating  force  which  is  yet 
more  important  and  powerful  than  all  others  combined. 
That  is  Christianity. 

Hinduism  gives  but  a  superficial  similarity  to  wildly  in- 
congruous things.  Like  all  heathenism  it  coagulates  rather 
than  integrates.  The  Mohammedan  rule  added  but  one  or 
two  touches  of  likeness.     And  the  main  unifying  power  of 


India  91 

the  British  dominion  springs  from  tlic  Christian  basis  on 
which  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  it  has  always  rested. 
"  Christian  morality,"  says  Sir  Henry  Maine,  "  has  penetrat- 
ed even  further  than  Christian  belief,  and  affects  the  mo- 
rality of  the  modern  indigenous  literature."  And  the 
English  administration  of  justice,  which  the  same  writer 
declares  to  have  been  the  most  powerful  of  unifyino-  ao-en- 
cies,  affording  a  moral  basis  from  which  a  new  set  of  moral 
ideas  has  been  diffused  among  the  population — what  is 
that  but  the  substance  of  Christianity,  wrouirht  out  throuo-h 
centuries  of  growth  into  the  social  life  of  England  and 
Christendom  ?  There  is  much  in  the  Indian  annals  of  Eng- 
land which  may  cause  her  and  her  friends  to  blush  and  to 
grieve.  Yet  it  is  true  that  more  and  more  as  time  has 
gone  on  her  voice  has  spoken  Christianity  ;  that  her  repre- 
sentatives in  India,  whether  through  the  pressure  of  public 
sentiment  at  home  or  more  nobly  through  the  purpose  of 
their  own  hearts,  have  done  Christian  deeds  and  exerted  a 
Christian  influence. 

See  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland,  Commander-in-chief  of  the 
Madras  Army  in  1837,  lay  down  his  office  and  his  salary  of 
£10,000  rather  than  pay  official  honor  to  the  idol  to  whom 
the  East  India  Company  has  hitherto  been  officially  mar- 
ried !  And  see  the  burst  of  indignation  which  arose  all 
over  England,  and  finally  compelled  the  Honorable  John 
Company  to  carry  out  reforms  already  decreed ! 

Once  more  see  Sir  John,  afterwards  Lord  Lawrence  and 
the  savior  of  the  Punjab,  when  collector  of  that  province, 
enforcing  the  new  reforms  !  See  the  land-holders  come  up 
to  him  day  after  day  for  the  new  lease  they  are  required  to 
take,  and  hear  each  of  them  as  he  agrees  to  it  repeat  aloud 
to  the  Englishman  the  new  Trilogue  of  the  English  govern- 


92  Modern  Missioiis  in  the  East 

ment,  "  Thou  shalt  not  burn  thy  widows !  Thou  shalt 
not  kill  thy  daughters  I  Thou  shalt  not  bury  alive  thy 
lepers  1"  the  light  of  Sinai  meantime  blazing  in  the  eyes 
of  this  modern  Moses  ! 

The  more  study  that  is  given  to  the  British  Empire  in 
India  the  more  will  certain  striking  resemblances  to  the 
Roman  Empire  appear ;  and,  I  will  add,  the  more  the  con- 
version of  the  Roman  Empire  is  studied  the  brighter  will 
seem  the  light  and  hope  for  this  country. 

Protestant  missions  in  India  still  stand  in  their  third 
period.  The  first  begins  with  Ziegenbalg  and  Plutocho  in 
1705,  and  closes  with  Carey  and  his  associates,  the  last  and 
first  being  alike  under  protection  of  the  Danish  kings, 
whose  descendants  are  now  near  to  the  throne  of  England, 
and  may  soon  wield  the  sceptre  of  India.  The  second 
period  begins  in  1813,  when  India  was  thrown  open  to 
mission  work  by  the  labors  of  William  Wilberforce  and  his 
followers,  and  continues  until  the  mutiny  in  1857. 

Of  this  mutiny  it  is  truly  said  that  it  divides  all  Anglo- 
Indian  history  into  two  parts.  Understand  the  mutiny  and 
you  understand  India.  The  immediate  occasion  of  this 
catastrophe  is  well  known,  but  the  real  causes  lay  much 
deeper.  The  East  India  Company  had  been  sowing  the 
wind ;  it  was  now  to  reap  the  whirlwind.  It  had  leagued 
itself  with  idolatry ;  out  of  this  unholy  alliance  came  its 
death. 

Lord  Lawrence  and  his  coadjutors  were  the  Christian 
heroes  who  saved  India  to  England.  And  what  Lord  Law- 
rence years  after  said  to  Bishop  Wilberforce  on  the  sub- 
ject was  this : 

"  I  believe  that  what  more  tended  to  stir  up  the  Indian 
mutiny  than  any  one  thing  was  the  habitual  cowardice  of 


India  93 

Great  Britain  as  to  her  own  religion.  It  led  many  to  think 
her  atheistical,  and  so  not  to  be  trusted ;  and  others  to  be- 
lieve that  under  a  veil  of  indifference  she  hid  some  deep 
scheme  to  make  India  Christian." 

The  mutiny  did  its  work.  First  of  all  it  killed  the  com- 
pany. That  company  had  been  created  through  the  doub- 
ling of  the  price  of  pepper  by  the  Dutch.  It  was  destroyed, 
and  the  grand  empire  which  had  sprung  up  out  of  those 
pepper  grains  came  near  being  lost  to  England  through  the 
grease  on  the  bitten  end  of  cartridges,  resented  as  defile- 
ment by  both  Hindu  and  Mohammedan.  On  such  small 
things  do  great  empires  swing. 

The  mutiny  also  resulted  in  direct  government  by  Eng- 
land. It  brought  the  needs  of  India  to  the  front ;  it  abol- 
ished compromise  with  heathenism  ;  it  established  an  offi- 
cial neutrality  in  religious  matters  which  has  proved  most 
advantageous  to  private  aggressive  mission  work,  and  thus 
it  opened  the  present  third  period  of  missions,  which  have 
ever  since  assumed  vaster  proportions,  and  reaped  richer 
harvests  from  the  former  sowing. 

To  give  any  general  idea  of  this  work  in  its  immensity 
and  variety  is  quite  impossible. 

In  1851  there  were  91,000  Protestant  Christian  adher- 
ents in  India.  The  increase  in  the  next  three  decades  was 
at  the  rate  of  fifty-three  per  cent.,  sixty -one  per  cent., 
and  eighty -six  per  cent.,  making  a  total  in  1881  of  417,000. 
At  the  close  of  1889  the  total  was  estimated  at  not  less 
than  800,000  for  India,  Burmah,  and  Ceylon,  an  increase 
for  India  alone  of  probably  seventy -five  per  cent.  In  1890 
forty  general,  besides  a  number  of  private,  missions  were 
at  work.  These  are  represented  by  816  ordained  mission- 
aries.    British  societies  naturally  predominated,  forty -three 


94  Modern  Missions  in  tJie  East 

per  cent,  of  the  wliole  number  of  adherents  in  1881  be- 
lono-ino-  to  the  Church  of  England.  The  Church  Mission- 
ary  Society's  operations  alone  are  carried  on  in  fifteen  of 
the  j^-reat  hmguages  of  India,  besides  Sanskrit,  Persian,  and 
Arabic.  It  has  its  outposts  all  along  the  northern  frontier, 
ready  to  advance  into  Afghanistan,  Thibet,  and  other  un- 
occupied parts  of  Central  Asia.  It  is  also  scattered  over 
all  the  country. 

The  American  Methodists  are  concentrated  in  the  north, 
in  Oudh  and  Rohilcund.  It  is  one  of  the  most  vigorous 
of  young  missions,  and  particularly  successful  in  Sunday- 
schools.  Bishop  Taylor's  work,  or  the  South  India  Confer- 
ence, however,  is  scattered  all  over  the  country. 

The  American  Baptists  are  in  Burmah,  Assam,  and  the 
Telegu  country. 

The  American  Presbyterians  are  in  the  northwest  prov- 
inces and  the  Punjab,  besides  having  a  small  disconnected 
Marathi  work  at  Kolhapur.  The  American  Board  is  in  the 
Jaffna  Mission  of  northern  Ceylon,  in  Madura,  and  in  the 
Marathi  country  around  Ahmadnagar  and  Bombay.  Tamil 
is  the  language  in  Jaffna  and  Madura,  and  Marathi  in  west- 
ern India. 

The  London  Congregationalists  are  mainly  in  Travancore, 
southern  India,  and  Bengal;  while  the  Salvation  Army  I 
found  in  Ceylon,  Madras,  and  Bombay. 

There  is  the  Arcot  Mission,  one  of  the  three  mis- 
sions nobly  manned  and  managed  by  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church.  It  is  called  the  Scudder  Mission,  for  six  out  of 
the  ten  Americans  there  are  Scudders,  and  is  one  of  the 
best  examples  of  a  well-cared-for  rural  evangelistic  work. 
There  is  the  remarkable  Telegu  or  "  Lone  Star"  Mission  of 
the  American  Baptists.     Founded  a  little  over  fifty  years 


India  95 

ago,  for  thirty  years  there  was  hardly  a  ray  of  hope. 
Thrice  the  mission  was  on  the  point  of  being  abandoned. 
At  length,  in  1867,  the  tide  turned,  and  a  church  of  eight 
souls  was  organized.  The  report  for  1886  gives  27,500 
church-members. 

Land  with  me,  if  you  please,  at  Tuticorin,  the  nearest 
port  in  southern  India  to  Ceylon.  It  is  November.  We 
are  in  the  luxurious  life  of  the  tropics,  shadowed  by  wav- 
ing palms,  softened  by  the  touch  of  ocean,  cooled  by  the 
breath  of  far-away  winter.  The  missionary  quarter,  with 
its  English  bishop  and  college  and  Roman  Catholic  church, 
somehow  reminds  us  of  the  quiet,  studious  air  of  Andover 
or  Amherst.  If  we  enter  this  spacious  temple  we  shall 
find  the  Catholics  celebrating  the  mass.  At  the  entrance 
sit  trumpeters,  who  blow  horns  at  the  elevation  of  the 
host.  Inside  on  a  sand  floor,  with  but  one  or  two  benches 
along  the  side,  are  about  twenty-five  dusky  worshippers, 
mostly  women,  enveloped  in  white  robes,  prostrated  on 
their  knees,  with  heads  bent  to  the  earth  and  rosaries  in 
their  hands.  Within  the  altar-rail  are  twenty-five  youths 
giving  the  responses.  The  European  priest  goes  on  with 
his  service  as  usual.  There  seems  a  strange  intermingling 
of  pagan  and  Christian  elements.  It  is  easy  to  see  that 
this  service  may  have  a  peculiar  attraction  for  those 
brought  up  to  worship  the  Visible  —  and  also  peculiar 
dangers. 

But  we  ride  by  rail  thirty-six  miles  west  and  south  to 
Tinnevelly.  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  crowd  and  ex- 
citement at  the  landing-station  ?  Of  these  scores  of  beam- 
ing, intelligent  Tamils  with  their  gay  costumes  rushing 
towards  us,  headed  by  pale,  white-helmeted  Europeans? 
Why,   we  have  with   us   Mr.   Wigram,    Secretary    of   the 


96  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

Church  Missionary  Society  of  England,  and  his  son,  mak- 
ing their  official  journey  of  inspection  round  the  world, 
which  just  along  this  stretch  happily  coincides  with  ours. 
They  are  whirled  off  to  Palamcottah,  the  head  of  the 
mission  three  miles  away,  while  we  follow  more  leisurely 
in  a  bullock  bandy.  What  a  sight  as  we  enter  Palam- 
cottah— this  Christian  village  on  pagan  soil,  home  of  the 
Shanars,  or  palmyra -climbing  caste,  who  draw  out  the 
juice  of  the  tree  for  drink  or  sugar !  It  is  arched  and 
festooned  with  flowers  and  mottoes  of  welcome.  We  have 
come  on  a  gala-day,  in  which  we  may  share.  We  sit  at 
the  table  with  venerable  Bishop  Sargent,  since  gone  to  his 
rest,  then  fifty-one  years  in  labor  at  that  place,  with  only 
three  visits  home.  For  the  first  time,  in  the  evening  we 
hear  the  gospel  preached  by  Christian  Tamils  in  their 
native  Kirtan,  a  chant  with  low  'cello  accompaniment, 
breaking  out  now  and  then  into  joyous  song  with  full 
native  orchestra.  We  meet  with  the  bishop  and  the  sec- 
retary in  a  gathering  of  200  native  helpers,  who  have  come 
from  all  over  the  district  for  this  occasion  to  tell  of  their 
work  and  get  fresh  help  and  instruction.  We  visit  the 
girls'  schools,  see  the  large  church  thronged  at  a  morning 
service,  then  take  bullock  bandy  again  and  travel  sixty 
miles  overnight  southward  to  the  great  Travancore  Mission 
of  the  London  Missionary  Society  at  Nagercoil. 

Now  what  is  the  history  of  this  Tinnevelly  Mission? 
How  did  it  come  to  this  ripe,  rich  fruitage  of  73,000 
baptized  Christians? 

In  1775  we  may  see  Schwartz  baptizing  at  Palamcot- 
tah a  Brahman  widow,  who  soon  after  builds  the  first 
church  in  Tinnevelly,  just  about  100  years  ago.  Then 
we  find  a  community  of   160   Christians  in   charge  of  a 


India  97 

native  pastor.  A  Lutheran  missionary  spends  the  last  nine 
years  of  the  century  there,  dying  at  its  close.  But  the 
whole  country  is  almost  hidden  from  our  eyes  until  one  of 
the  East  India  chaplains,  going  there  in  1816,  finds  3000 
Christians  dispersed  in  some  sixty  villages,  under  the 
charge  of  one  native  pastor  named  Abraham.  They  were 
mostly  mechanics  and  Shanars,  or  cultivators  of  the  cocoa- 
nut  and  palmyra  tree.  Not  until  four  years  later  does 
Rhenius  with  another  Lutheran  missionary  come  to  the 
field.  Then  he  blazes  through  the  entire  district  for  nine 
years,  and  whole  villages  place  themselves  under  Christian 
instruction.  The  field  is  divided  between  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  and  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel.  But  in  1835,  in  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
portion  where  he  labors,  we  find  over  11,000  Christian  ad- 
herents scattered  through  261  villages.  And  now  to-day 
in  the  Tinnevelly  district  there  are  under  the  charge  of  the 
two  societies  100,000  adherents,  or  one  in  eighteen  of  the 
entire  population  in  1500  villages.  In  about  half  a  century 
the  seed  has  multiplied  itself  tenfold. 

That  half -century  has  an  inspiring  history.  There  is 
the  story  of  the  Christian  villages  formed  by  the  native 
philanthropic  societies,  which  purchased  houses  and  lands 
as  a  refuge  for  converts  persecuted  by  their  neighbors,  and 
perhaps  forbidden  by  their  landlords  to  erect  a  place  of 
worship.  Among  these  villages  are  Grace  Village,  Gospel 
Village,  and  Good  Town.  Most  remarkable  was  Mengnana- 
puram,  or  village  of  True  Wisdom.  "Scarcely  had  it  been 
founded,"  we  are  told,  "  when  Rev.  J.  Thomas  settled  there." 
It  lay  in  the  midst  of  a  sandy  desert,  over  which  the  land 
wind  from  the  mountains  swept,  parching  up  the  country 
and  enveloping  everything  in  clouds  of  dust.  The  natives 
7 


98  Modern  Missions  in  the  Uast 

called  it  **  saba  nilam  "  (soil  under  a  curse).  Mr.  Thomas 
at  once  dug  wells  and  soon  created  an  oasis.  The  physical 
change  was  typical  of  the  spiritual.  Wonderful  was  the 
fulfilment  at  Mengnanapuram  of  the  prophecy  that  the 
desert  shall  blossom  as  a  rose.  To-day  the  finest  church 
in  southern  India  stands  in  the  midst  of  the  village,  often 
containing  1400  worshippers.  Both  societies  had  large  ac- 
cessions in  the  terrible  famine  of  1877-78.  Help  was  given 
to  all  alike,  but,  as  Bishop  Caldwell  wTote,  "  the  conviction 
prevailed  that  whilst  Hinduism  had  left  the  famine-stricken 
to  die,  Christianity  had  stepped  in  like  an  angel  from  heav- 
en, to  comfort  them  with  its  sympathy  and  cheer  them 
with  its  effectual  succor." 

In  one  year  20,000  were  added  to  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  10,000  to  the  Churcli  Mission- 
ary Society.  In  spite  of  some  lapses  to  heathenism  the 
work  prospered.  There  have  been  times  when  a  strong 
missionary  force  was  on  the  ground.  In  1859  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  alone  had  eighteen  men,  each  in  charge 
of  a  district.  But  now  there  are  no  English  district  mis- 
sionaries. Several  years  ago  Drs.  Caldwell  and  Sargent 
were  made  assistant  bishops,  one  for  each  of  the  two  so- 
cieties. The  Church  Missionary  Society  has  five  or  six 
Europeans  set  apart  for  educational  or  evangelistic  work. 
But  all  the  districts  and  churches  are  in  charge  of  native 
pastors,  of  whom  there  are  one  hundred  and  five.  Every 
year  the  Church  Missionary  Society  is  withdrawing  one- 
twentieth  of  the  amount  it  formerly  paid  for  native  work. 
Every  year  the  churches  are  coming  more  and  more  to  self- 
support. 

Let  us  next  look  in  upon  the  Congregational  work  in 
the  Marathi  Mission  in  western  India.     It  began  with  the 


India  99 

arrival  at  Bombay,  in  1813,  of  Gordon  Hall  and  Samuel  Nott, 
just  at  the  time  when  India  was  opened  to  missionaries.  But 
the  soil  seemed  barren,  as  this  later  record  in  the  Mission- 
ary Herald  shows :  "  Twenty  years  of  the  existence  of 
this  mission  have  elapsed,  and  the  number  of  true  converts 
from  idolatry  has  been  less  than  the  number  of  valuable 
lives  that  have  been  sacrificed  in  the  rescue."  In  1831 
five  men  and  women  moved  from  Bombay  to  Ahmadnagar. 
It  was  in  a  strange  place  that  they  began  their  work.  The 
English  surgeon  had  established  an  asylum  and  hospital 
for  the  indigent.  Here  the  poor,  lame,  blind,  and  leprous 
were  fed  and  cared  for  in  little  huts  or  "  lean-tos,"  sloping 
up  against  the  mud  walls  of  the  city.  And  here  the  Amer- 
ican missionaries  began  to  preach  the  gospel,  with  the 
assistance  of  Babaji,  an  efiicient  native  helper.  In  this  de- 
spised, sick,  leprous  community  it  was  that  the  first  fruits 
appeared.  Three  of  the  five  workers  had  been  removed  by 
sickness  or  death,  leaving  only  Mr.  Read  and  his  wife.  He 
was  himself  one  morning  half  despairing  when  Babaji 
came  up  and  said,  "  Sahib,  here  is  a  man  who  wishes  to 
speak  to  you."  It  was  one  of  the  poor  outcasts.  "  I  wish 
to  be  baptized,"  he  said.  Being  asked  why,  he  replied, 
"  I  am  a  great  sinner.  My  mind  is  very  dark,  and  I  wish 
to  be  saved  through  Jesus  Christ."  In  a  few  months  he 
and  two  other  inmates  of  the  poorhouse  were  baptized.  A 
few  months  later  Babaji  came  from  his  morning  visit  to 
the  workhouse  in  an  ecstasy  of  joy.  "  The  poor  people 
come  about  me  inquiring,  'What  shall  I  do?'  They  are 
all  risen  up,  have  their  loins  girt,  and  are  ready."  Six- 
teen were  soon  afterwards  received  into  the  church,  which 
was  now  organized  independently  of  Bombay.  Disaster 
after   disaster   followed.      Mr.   Read  and    his   wife    were 


100  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

driven  to  tlie  hills  by  ill -health.  When  they  returned 
in  a  few  weeks  they  found  Babaji  dead,  their  hired  house 
burned,  their  mud -wall  chapel  unroofed,  their  people  in 
despair.  But  the  work  went  on.  Soon  schools  were  es- 
tablished, native  pastors  trained,  the  work  spread  through 
all  the  districts  north,  south,  east,  and  west. 

Look  at  the  mission  to-day.  I  found  about  3000  bap- 
tized persons  connected  with  it,  scattered  among  250  vil- 
lages. There  were  1776  communicants  in  twenty -seven 
churches,  all  pastors  being  supported  entirely  by  native 
money.  At  Ahmadnagar  I  found  eight  common  schools 
with  398  pupils,  one  station  school  with  forty-eight  boys, 
one  girls'  boarding-school  with  161  girls,  151  of  whom  were 
Christians,  one  mission  high-school  but  a  few  years  old, 
just  blossoming  into  a  college  with  290  male  pupils,  and 
one  theological  seminary,  of  which  Rev.  Robert  Hume,  at 
that  time  absent,  was  the  faculty. 

The  tithing  principle  is  applied  in  this  mission  and  is 
claimed  to  be  a  great  success,  about  all  the  native  helpers 
giving  every  month  one-tenth  of  their  salary.  The  great 
lack  here  is  enough  men  to  push  the  work  forward  to  a 
completion  of  the  mission  stage. 

A  peculiar  and  most  instructive  work  was  started  by 
Bishop  William  Taylor.  In  the  fall  of  1871  this  remark- 
able man,  who  had  been  laboring  as  an  evangelist  all  over 
the  world,  began  preaching  through  missionary  interpreters 
to  the  Marathi  people  in  connection  with  the  work  of  the 
American  Board  in  Ahmadnagar  and  Bombay.  To  his 
surprise  a  number  of  English-speaking  people,  who  came  to 
see  the  "  wonder,"  were  awakened  and  converted.  They 
called  him  to  be  their  pastor  and  evangelist,  and  soon  he 
found  himself  in  charge  of  100  new-born  souls.    That  drew 


India  101 

his  attention  to  the  needs  of  the  English-speaking  people  of 
India.  They  arc  of  two  classes.  First  arc  the  Europeans 
who  in  government  service  or  in  business  have  settled  down 
in  India.  Exiles  from  home  and  freed  from  home  re- 
straints, they  have  too  often  become  a  reproach  to  the 
Christian  name  they  bear,  yet  have  been  greatly  neglected 
by  all  Christian  bodies. 

The  second  class  consists  of  the  so-called  Eurasians,  that 
mixed  people  born  of  European  fathers  and  Asiatic  mothers 
— Indian,  of  course,  in  India.  In  Ceylon,  in  the  old  Dutch 
time,  they  were  called  burghers ;  after  that.  East  Indians. 
There  are  150,000  of  them  in  India,  mostly  in  the  cities,  as 
well  as  a  constantly  increasing  number  in  China,  Japan,  and 
all  open  ports  where  foreign  soldiers,  sailors,  and  merchants 
have  access.  This  unfortunate  class,  inheriting,  if  not,  as 
some  claim,  the  vices  of  both  races,  at  least  not  the  best  traits 
of  either,  is  apt  to  be  despised  and  neglected  by  all.  Yet 
they  are  intelligent,  often  well  educated,  extremely  sensi- 
tive, and  European  in  dress,  language,  and  modes  of  thought. 
If  thoroughly  trained  and  Christianized  in  character  as  well 
as  name,  they  might  become  important  agents  in  giving  the 
gospel  to  their  countrymen.  It  is  this  second  class  that  is 
largely  represented  in  the  Taylor  Mission. 

In  accordance  with  his  self-supporting  theory.  Bishop 
Taylor  declined  to  be  helped  or  supervised  by  the  mission- 
ary committee,  while  receiving  money  for  a  transit  fund, 
and  asking  ordination  of  his  men  from  the  bishops.  The 
sainted  George  Bowmen,  before  that  connected  with  the 
American  Board,  and  Dr.  Tlioburn,  connected  with  the 
North  India  Methodist  Mission,  both  joined  the  Taylor 
work,  which  soon  received  the  name  of  the  South  India  Con- 
ference.    In  the  course  of  fifteen  years  it  has  spread  all  over 


102  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

India,  and  as  far  away  as  Singapore.  It  has  occupied  most 
of  the  large  cities,  and  thus  secured  important  strategic 
points  for  future  usefulness.  In  the  conference  of  1886  it 
reported  twenty -seven  churches  scattered  through  India 
unaided  by  foreign  money,  ministering  to  Europeans,  Eura- 
sians, and  Indians. 

There  can  be  no  question  of  the  usefulness  of  the  work. 
Yet  whenever  I  met  its  representatives  I  found  them  over- 
burdened, sometimes  half-crazed,  by  the  double  labor  ex- 
pected from  most  of  them,  constantly  preaching  in  English 
and  managing  English  churches,  yet  continually  called  upon 
also  to  preach  and  work  in  the  vernacular  among  the 
natives,  and  frequently  supported  by  salaries  which  gave 
a  livelihood  only  as  eked  out  by  private  teaching.  It 
seemed  an  impossible  task  that  had  been  attempted,  which 
might  be  carried  on  for  a  time  under  the  inspiring  leader- 
ship of  William  Taylor,  but  must  sooner  or  later  be  modi- 
fied. And  modified  it  has  been.  For  the  South  India 
Conference,  feeling  that  it  was  not  able  to  improve  the 
opportunity  it  had  itself  created,  in  the  session  of  1886 
made  a  change  in  so  far  as  this :  It  has  asked  the  Meth- 
odist missionary  committee  to  appropriate  money  in  aid 
of  its  work,  on  the  principle  of  encouraging  self  -  support 
by  giving  as  much  for  native  work  as  the  South  India 
Conference  raises  in  India.  This  aid  has  been  promised  up 
to  the  amount  of  $10,000. 

So  far  I  have  spoken  altogether  of  the  work  among  the 
Hindus.  There  are,  however,  other  fields  to  be  entered. 
Attention  has  lately  been  drawn  to  the  Mohammedans. 
There  can  be  no  question  that  the  most  favorable  field  for 
work  among  them  is  India.  Political  influences,  which 
oppose  even  their  education,  to  say  nothing  of  conversion, 


India  103 

elsewhere,  make  them  here  most  accessible.  And  while 
they  have  yielded  least  of  all  religions  to  the  solvents 
of  western  thought,  they  are  not  unaffected.  It  was  as- 
serted at  the  Calcutta  Conference  in  1883  that  in  North 
India  there  have  been  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  labor 
bestowed  five  Moslem  converts  to  every  Hindu  convert 
from  the  three  high  castes  of  Hinduism.  In  one  mission 
station  in  North  India,  out  of  names  on  the  Baptismal  Reg- 
ister no  less  than  225  were  converts  from  Mohammedanism. 
I  have  myself  in  Bombay  addressed  through  an  interpreter 
a  company  of  Mohammedans,  who  came  into  the  vestibule 
of  the  native  church  to  attend  a  meeting  known  to  be  es- 
pecially for  them,  and  who  listened  with  attention,  respect, 
and  assent. 

Of  the  50,000,000  Mohammedans  over  whom  Queen 
Victoria  rules,  not  one-tenth,  it  is  claimed,  are  descendants 
of  immigrants.  And  of  this  number  about  one-half  live  in 
the  single  province  of  Bengal,  where  they  seem  to  have 
been  converted,  not  by  force,  but  by  favor  and  protection 
against  their  rich  Hindu  landlords.  In  this  province  there 
are  therefore  more  Mohammedans  than  Hindus.  But  in 
1883  there  was  not  one  male  missionary  working  in  Ben- 
gal who  knew  the  Arabic  language,  or  of  the  Moslem  con- 
troversy, or  was  specially  devoted  to  work  among  the  Mo- 
hammedans. Yet  they  are  said  to  be  the  despised,  down- 
trodden, poor,  and  illiterate  portion  of  the  population.  I 
conversed  in  Calcutta  with  the  Rev.  Jani  Ali,  a  Christian 
convert  from  Mohammedanism  and  a  graduate  from  Ox- 
ford, who  since  the  conference  had  been  appointed  to  that 
special  work  by  the  Church  Missionary  Society.  The 
same  society  also  has  a  special  high-school  for  Mohamme- 
dans in  Madras.     Conversions  had  not  been  known  in  the 


104  3Iodern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

school  for  years,  though  many  boys  left  school  favorably 
inclined  to  Christianity.  And  Jani  Ali's  labors  were  being 
neutralized  by  the  fact  that  some  former  converts  and  help- 
ers had  just  gone  back  to  Islam. 

In  Bombay  also  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  and, 
so  far  as  I  know,  that  society  alone,  is  laboring  directly  for 
the  Mohammedans.  They  have  but  two  catechists  with  one 
European  worker.  Yet  there  are  180,000  in  the  island  of 
Salsette. 

I  have  compared  India  to  the  Roman  Empire.  One  of 
the  resemblances  appears  in  the  growth  of  scepticism, 
which  is  imported  from  the  West,  and  does  not  go  very 
deep  down  in  any  Hindu  mind,  though  it  may  destroy  his 
old  morality  without  adding  anything  new.  Much  more 
important  is  the  rise  of  what  corresponds  to  Neo-Platonism, 
and  may  equally  well  be  called  Neo-Hinduism.  It  assumes 
many  different  forms.  The  Hindus  are  a  too  essentially  re- 
ligious people  to  be  long  content  with  the  bald  scepticism 
which  might  amply  satisfy  the  keen  intellect  of  a  self- 
righteous  Confucian.  In  one  way  or  another,  when  lifted 
above  their  degraded  idolatries,  they  seek  after  God. 

It  is  the  most  pathetic  sight  I  saw  while  away.  Some 
press  back  to  the  old  Yedic  books,  and  declare  themselves 
the  most  orthodox  of  Hindus.  Others  rejoice  in  the  pres- 
tige, and  ally  themselves  to  the  labors  of  European  Theoso- 
phists,  who,  headed  by  Colonel  Olcott  and  Madame  Bla- 
vatsky,  assure  the  Hindus  that  the  same  essence  of  religion 
is  at  the  heart  of  all  religions,  so  that  we  need  only  use 
what  we  have  to  be  satisfied. 

Others  set  up  religious  societies  on  their  own  account, 
where  they  preach  the  Fatherhood  of  God  and  Brotherhood 
of  Man,  while  a  larger  number  follow  the  leadership   of 


LicUa  105 

some  religious  genius  like  Baboo  Keshub  Chunder  Sen  in 
some  Somaj,  advanced  like  the  Brahmo  Soma],  or  reaction- 
ary like  the  Arya  Somaj — societies  which  in  some  form  or 
other  have  planted  themselves  in  most  of  the  chief  towns 
of  North  India.  All  these  are  symptoms  of  the  times — per- 
haps transient,  but  important  symptoms.  They  indicate  the 
breaking  up  of  the  old,  the  anxious  search  for  the  new,  by 
those  who  are  not  willing  to  be  without  God,  and  who  be- 
lieve that  God  must  have  manifested  himself  not  alone  in 
western  dogmas,  but  in  forms  apprehensible  by  the  orient- 
al mind.  For  the  time  the  work  of  the  Somaj  may  seem 
to  conflict  with  the  work  of  Christianity,  as  the  rival 
preachers  are  often  brought  into  sharp  opposition  to  one 
another.  But  the  Somaj  seems  to  me  rather  to  register  a 
certain  mood  of  the  Indian  mind  than  to  indicate  its  rest- 
ing-place. 

At  the  same  time  it  must  be  remembered  that  those  who 
will  neither  reject  nor  accept  Christianity  in  its  entirety, 
but  try  to  rest  in  eclectic  systems,  partly  Christian,  partly 
heathen,  may  make  these  systems  into  towers  of  offence  to 
Christianity  and  of  defence  to  heathenism,  turning  its  own 
weapons  against  Christianity,  and  making  the  older  religion 
a  far  more  formidable  opponent  than  ever  before.  That  is 
undoubtedly  what  is  going  on  in  India  to-day,  and  one  im- 
portant reason  why  there  are  fewer  conversions  now  than 
once  among  the  high-caste  Hindus  in  our  mission  schools  and 
elsewhere  is  because  these  various  forms  of  Neo-Hinduism 
offer  a  half-way  house  within  the  lines  of  Hindu  toleration 
for  those  who  are  dissatisfied  with  the  old,  yet  not  ready  to 
cut  entirely  loose  and  embrace  Christianity  so  long  as  they 
can  find  a  seeming  substitute. 

"  We  shall  all  be  Christians  in  fifty  years,"  said  a  Hindu, 


106  3Iodern  Missions  in  the  East 

"  but  it  may  not  be  your  kind  of  Christianity."  It  is  suf- 
ficient surely  if  it  be  that  of  Jesus  and  his  apostles.  And 
plainly  enough  the  spell  of  Christ's  influence  is  being  cast 
over  some  of  the  finest  Indian  minds.  Said  to  me  Mozoom- 
dar,  the  leader  of  the  Brahmo  Somaj,  as  we  stood  near 
the  almost  worshipped  memorial  shrine  of  Baboo  Keshub 
Chunder  Sen,  "  What  India  needs  is  Christ." 

Mohini  visits  Boston  and  commends  the  epistles  of  St. 
Paul  to  the  admiring  groups  of  ladies  who  gather  around 
him.  On  his  voyage  back  he  so  reads  himself  into  the 
Gospel  of  John  that  the  resolve  grows  strong  within  him 
to  present  this  Christ  to  his  countrymen. 

Distrust  the  Hindu  mind  as  much  as  we  may  and  must, 
it  is  plain  that  God's  spirit  is  at  work  bringing  this  people 
to  himself. 

My  three  months  in  India  and  subsequent  study  have 
combined  to  impress  some  points  upon  my  mind  as  among 
the  characteristic  features  of  the  field. 

1.  India  is  a  land  of  villages  and  rural  populations.  Of 
seventy  million  inhabitants  in  Bengal  fifty  millions  live  in 
villages  of  less  than  500  each.  In  all  Bengal  out  of  264,- 
765  towns  and  villages  only  forty-seven  towns  contain  more 
than  15,000  inhabitants. 

China  is  a  land  of  great  cities  as  well  as  of  numerous 
villages,  but  a  journey  through  India  shows  the  difference 
at  once.  A  rural  population  can  never  be  thoroughly 
evangelized  save  by  its  own  people.  The  development  of  a 
simple  native  ministry  is  the  key  to  success  in  India.  It  is 
the  part  of  foreign  missionaries  to  direct  this  development. 

2.  Nearly  one-fifth  of  the  population,  or  over  fifty  mill- 
ions, mostly  in  the  villages,  are  still  lingering  in  the  rude 
aboriginal  religions.     They  form  a  dense,  dark,  wavering 


India  107 

mass  on  the  outskirts  of  the  great  faiths  of  the  world,  who 
within  the  next  fifty  years  are  to  be  absorbed  into  either 
Hinduism,  Islamisra,  or  Christianity.  Each  is  at  present 
slowly  appropriating  some  portion.  The  greatest  successes 
of  Christianity  have  been  among  these  classes.  Whose 
shall  they  be  at  the  end  of  the  next  century  ? 

3.  Five  millions  of  the  brightest  minds  in  India  are  be- 
ing emancipated  and  illuminated  by  the  secular  science  and 
civilization  of  the  West.  They  stand  at  just  the  opposite 
end  of  the  scale  from  those  last  mentioned.  Their  number 
annually  increases.  They  are  and  are  to  be  the  leaders  and 
rulers  of  the  coming  India.  They  are  the  university  men, 
the  office  holders  and  seekers  of  to-day.  The  Indian  na- 
tional congresses  annually  held  represent  them.  They  are 
sceptical  yet  religious,  and  not  to  be  satisfied  without  a 
national  religion.  All  sorts  of  substitutes  for  and  compro- 
mises with  Christianity  are  now  being  attempted  which  can 
hardly  long  satisfy  them ;  they  are  or  must  become  pecul- 
iarly open  to  the  living  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  though  they 
may  long  reject  the  dogmas  of  Christianity.  The  Christian 
culture  of  the  West  must  meet  Secularism  East  or  West 
and  conquer  it,  thus  helping  to  bring  about  great  popular 
movements  into  God's  kingdom. 

*4.  The  advantages  for  work  among  these  Indian  peoples 
are  unparalleled.  Providentially  placed  for  a  time  in 
the  charge  of  a  great  Protestant  nation,  whose  rule  favors 
every  form  of  mission  labor,  they  are  easier  of  access 
than  the  people  of  any  other  great  country.  They  are  in- 
fused with  our  own  Aryan  blood ;  they  are  filled  with  new 
aspirations ;  they  are  the  most  religious  people  under  the 
sun.  They  will  not  sway  the  world  like  the  Chinese,  but 
they  will  perhaps  leaven  it  more. 


108  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

The  churclies  of  India  are  to  save  India ;  but  we  are  to 
build  up  the  churches.  It  is  this  that  creates  the  pressing 
call  for  reinforcements  to  our  missionaries,  staggering  dis- 
mayed under  the  opportunities  we  have  prayed  for. 

Think  of  Rome  in  the  third  century,  when  a  few  wise, 
brave  men,  fired  by  zeal  for  God,  could  gather  the  dissolved 
and  floating  elements  together  into  the  foundation  of  Chris- 
tian Europe  and  Christian  America  !  Then  think  of  India  to- 
day approaching  the  same  condition,  with  her  currents  and 
eddies  and  sweeping  tides  moving  ever  more  swiftly !  A 
united,  nationalized,  regenerated  India  will  be  a  triumph 
for  Christianity,  like  its  grand  conquest  of  Europe.  Hap- 
py, thrice  happy,  is  our  generation,  that  we  may  have  part 
in  this  glorious  work  of  winning  India  for  Christ ! 


CHAPTER  V 

THE    TURKISH    DOMINIONS 

The  passage  from  India  to  Turkey  brings  a  much  greater 
change  than  is  indicated  by  the  sail  of  a  few  days  from 
Bombay  to  Suez.  It  is  the  change  from  one  world  to  an- 
other; from  the  outer,  oceanic,  barbarian  world  to  the  inner, 
Mediterranean,  Roman  world ;  from  the  orient  to  the  Oc- 
cident ;  from  heathendom  to  the  outskirts  and  suburbs  of 
Christendom ;  yes,  to  its  ancient  centres,  the  scene  of  its 
early  conquests,  its  battle-field,  its  lost  domain,  of  its  defeats 
and  degradation  ;  at  once  its  cradle  and  its  coffin,  where  it 
has  long  lain  rotting.  Nothing  that  we  have  seen  is  so 
heterogeneous  and  so  problematical  as  these  Turkish  domin- 
ions. The  ends  of  the  earth  meet  here,  and  are  tangled  into 
a  worse  than  Gordian  knot.  Just  as  the  three  continents  of 
Asia,  Africa,  and  Europe  gather  here  together  and  gaze  at 
one  another,  so  the  great  powers  of  Christendom  meet  at 
Constantinople,  and  contend  in  subtle  diplomacy  or  in  open 
war.  These  lands,  stretched  out  in  a  most  grotesque  gerry- 
mander around  the  great,  central,  classic  sea,  how  many  and 
how  diverse  are  their  claims  and  their  charms ! 

First,  we  come  to  Egypt.  AVe  gaze  at  its  sphinx  and  its 
pyramids.  We  stand  dwarfed  beneath  its  colossal  statues 
and  its  obelisks.  We  wander  through  its  temples  and  its 
torchlit  tombs.  On  the  postal  boat  we  steam  hundreds  of 
miles  to  the  great  cataracts,  up  the  benignant,  mysterious 


110  Modern  Missions  hi  the  East 

Nile,  creator  of  Egypt,  its  source  ever  being  just  discovered, 
yet  remaining  ever  hidden.  Here,  for  the  first  time,  we 
encounter  an  idolatrous  polytheism  which  is  absolutely  de- 
funct, with  not  even  a  memory  lingering,  but  only  deserted 
temples,  and  signs  and  pictures  cut  in  the  rocks.  What 
shall  be  the  future  of  this  most  ancient  of  lands,  seat  of  the 
earliest  civilization,  host  of  the  Israelites,  as  Holland,  though 
in  a  more  friendly  way,  was  the  host  of  the  later  Pilgrims 
on  their  route  to  the  promised  land  of  New  England?  This 
land,  tributary  to  the  Sultan,  but  held  fast  in  the  organizing 
hand  of  England,  inherited  by  the  Coptic  Christians,  but 
dominated  by  the  Moslems — what  is  to  be  its  destiny  ? 

Then  we  pass  to  Palestine,  the  thrice  holy  land.  Estab- 
lished in  the  Prussian  Hospice,  right  in  the  heart  of  the  old 
city,  we  explore  the  streets  and  haunts  of  Jerusalem,  where  the 
Moslem  sentinel  keeps  peace  between  the  warring  Christian 
sects  as  .they  quarrel  around  the  sepulchre  of  our  Lord.  We 
journey  up  and  down  through  the  land,  sometimes  alone, 
sometimes  with  a  large  company,  and  ever  the  question  urges. 
Who  is  to  possess  this  land  when  the  Turk  goes?  Greeks 
and  Latins,  Russia  and  France,  vie  with  one  another.  The 
Moslem  keeps  his  hold,  and  all  is  peace  at  the  mosque  of 
Omar.  Back  of  all  the  Jew  lies  in  wait,  or  presses  on  tow- 
ards his  old  home,  while  all  over  the  world  are  millions  of 
those  who  claim  the  Hebrew  land  for  the  Hebrew  people. 
What  shall  its  future  be  ? 

Off  from  Beirut  at  last,  our  steamer  skirts  the  shores  of 
Asia  Minor.  There  come  dreamy  nights  on  the  moonlit 
sea,  busy  days,  exploring  each  port  where  we  stop.  Cyprus, 
one  of  Lord  Beaconsfield's  dazzling  gains  for  England  ;  Mer- 
sin,  the  port  of  Tarsus;  Rhodes,  alive  with  memories  of  the 
knights  of  Malta;    Smyrna,  gay,  crowded  mart,  surviving 


The  TarJcish  Dominions  111 

upon  the  site  of  many  rained  cities ;  the  Dardanelles  and  the 
Bosporus,  where  Europe  and  Asia  kiss  one  another;  on 
past  Constantinople  and  along  the  northern  coasts,  through 
tiie  stormy  waters  of  the  Black  Sea.  The  whole  of  this 
Anatolia  is  a  rich,  varied,  important  country.  On  one  side 
was  Troy,  on  the  other  Armenia.  Greek  colonies  fringed  the 
coasts  and  thronged  the  islands.  The  fabled  Amazons  were 
in  the  north  and  the  kingdom  of  Mitliridates.  Many  ob- 
scure tribes  occupied  the  rich,  high  plateaus.  Over  these 
plains  marched  Alexander  and  St.  Paul.  And  here,  to-day, 
is  the  real  home  of  the  Turk,  who,  not  camping  under  arms, 
as  in  Europe,  has  settled  down  in  the  land,  and  forms  the 
mass  of  the  agricultural  population.  All  over  the  lofty 
plains  rove  the  nomad  tribes  of  Turcomans,  Yourouks,  and 
Kurds,  while  the  Greeks  and  Armenians  are  mainly  found  in 
the  towns,  holding  most  of  the  trade  in  their  hands.  The 
land  has  never  had  a  history,  yet  has  great  possibilities. 
More  and  more  the  Turk,  as  he  sullenly  withdraws  from 
Europe,  establishes  himself  in  Anatolia,  centring  around 
Brousa,  first  capital  of  the  Ottoman  Empire.  Will  it  be  its 
last  capital,  and  will  the  Moslem  long  hold  the  whole  of  this 
land?  Will  the  Armenians,  busy,  thriving,  pushing,  ever 
again  be  a  people  with  a  local  habitation  as  well  as  a  name 
of  their  own  ?  Or  will  the  keen,  subtle,  ambitious  Greeks 
reclaim  the  commerce  and  dominion  of  the  land  ?  Or  will 
some  European  power  assert  a  protectorate  over  the  whole 
country,  threading  it  with  railroads  and  developing  all  the 
vast  resources  it  contains  ? 

Finally  we  are  back  at  Constantinople.  We  find  ourselves 
thrilled  with  its  memories,  charmed  with  its  beauties,  dazzled 
with  its  splendors;  but  disgusted  with  its  filth,  dismayed 
with  its  degradation,  utterly  perplexed  with  its  problems. 


112  Modern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

Turnino"  our  back  on  all  this,  we  wind,  by  slowly  moving 
train,  through  the  Balkan  peninsula.  At  last  we  breathe 
the  free  air  of  Bulgaria.  Here,  for  the  first  time,  there  is 
hope,  resolution,  achievement,  success,  and  constitutional 
government,  though  still  much  fear,  trembling,  and  uncer- 
tainty. Yet  there  is  light  on  the  future.  Its  lines  are  clearly 
marked  out,  if  only  this  brave  people  may  be  left  to  them- 
selves. When  we  glance  at  Roumania  and  Servia,  on  our 
way  up  the  Danube,  we  have  somewhat  the  same  hope  for 
them. 

And  now  that  we  have  surveyed  the  Turkish  dominions, 
what  is  the  prospect  for  them  all  ?  What  is  the  power  that 
can  take  hold  of  these  heaving,  yearning,  restless,  striving 
nationalities,  break  the  fetters  that  bind  them  without  and 
within,  and  shape  them  into  true  nations,  living  members  of 
the  human  race;  no  longer  enslaved,  scattered,  quarrelling, 
or  corrupted  peoples,  but  freely  allied  with  the  brotherhood 
of  mankind,  bound  up  with  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  I  reply, 
the  whole  hope  of  these  lands  lies  in  Christianity — a  Chris- 
tianity that  is  pure,  vital,  spiritual,  ethical,  intelligent,  prac- 
tical, aggressive,  dominating  the  whole  of  life. 

The  ever-growing  impression  that  Turkey  makes  upon  a 
visitor  is  that  of  a  shattered,  dismembered,  dying  empire. 
We  have  seen  no  such  sight  in  all  our  tour  around  the  globe. 
It  has  been  a  long  process,  for  it  began  two  centuries  ago, 
when,  in  1683,  the  tide  of  Turkish  invasion  was  stayed  un- 
der the  walls  of  Vienna.  Since  then,  not  to  speak  of  the 
earlier  loss  of  Spain  and  other  countries  in  the  west,  frag- 
ment after  fragment  has  been  torn  away  in  the  east.  One 
after  another  the  Sultan  has  lost  Hungary,  Transylvania, 
Croatia,  Bessarabia,  Servia,  Greece,  Moldavia,  Wallachia,  Bos- 
nia, Bulgaria,  Roumelia,  Thessaly,  Algeria,  Tunis,  Cyprus, 


Tlie  Turkish  Dominions  113 

and  Massoah.  Other  countries,  like  Egypt,  are  held  by  for- 
eigners, under  the  euphemistic  description  of  "  Temporary 
occupation,  under  the  sovereignty  of  the  Sultan."  In  the 
few  strips  of  Europe  which  the  Turks  still  hold  they  are,  as 
they  ever  have  been,  parasites,  living  on  the  pillage  of  Chris- 
tians. As  this  pillage  is  stopped  they  depart  for  Asia.  But 
wherever  they  depart  the  question  arises.  What  shall  come 
after  the  Turk? 

In  all  these  complications  religion  is  and  has  long  been  a 
leading,  if  not  the  main,  factor.  In  the  different  forms  which 
we  meet  here,  there  are  some  striking  resemblances  and 
greater  diversities.  Every  form  is  intense  and  tenacious. 
We  have  just  come  from  lands  where  idolatrous  polytheism 
prevailed.  Here  everything  is  monotheistic.  Three  great 
religions,  with  their  variations  and  combinations,  occupy  the 
field.  Two  of  them  are  intensely  unitarian.  One  is  the 
most  exclusive,  the  oldest,  and  least  changed  of  any  great  re- 
ligion. Another  is  vehemently,  iconoclastically  non-idol- 
atrous. One  alone  is  idolatrous,  and  that  one  is  Christian- 
ity. These  three  have  all  sprung  from  the  same  root,  and 
exhibit  the  three  forms  of  false  development.  Judaism  shows 
arrested  development.  Islamism  shows  perverted  develop- 
ment. Christianity  shows  corrupted  development.  All  three 
are  book  religions,  and  are  the  only  book  religions.  All 
three  are  personal  religions,  in  that  they  go  back  to  a  per- 
sonal founder,  though  only  in  Islam  and  Christianity  are  the 
founders  the  real  bond  of  life  and  centre  of  allegiance.  Two 
of  them,  those  just  named,  are  intensely  missionary  religions, 
there  being  only  one  other.  Buddhism.  Judaism,  rigid  and 
exclusive;  Islam,  arrogantly  and  persecutingly  tenacious; 
Christianity,  defiantly  and  degradingly  corrupt — this  is  the 
field  into  which  our  evani^elical  missions  have  come. 


114  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

There  is  one  other  feature  which  causes  great  difficulty 
for  these  missions.  That  is  the  doctrine  of  the  myste- 
rious inaccessibility,  unintelligibility,  and  untranslatability 
of  the  Scriptures.  Judaism  has  the  least  of  this.  It  can 
never  be  forgotten  that  it  produced  the  Septuagint.  Islam 
has  much  more,  for  the  Koran,  being  held,  as  it  stands,  for 
eternal  and  uncreate,  may  not  be  translated  into  any  other 
tongue.  Yet  as  it  is  the  one  text-book  of  more  than  one 
hundred  millions  of  our  race,  it  has  been  called  the  most 
widely-read  book  in  existence.  Corrupt  Christianity  has  car- 
ried this  doctrine  to  the  extreme,  and  keeps  the  Bible  a 
sealed  book.  The  national  churches  hold  mainly  to  their  an- 
cient versions,  and  will  allow  no  other.  The  consequence  is 
that  most  of  the  people  and  many  of  the  priests  understand 
neither  the  liturgy  nor  the  Scriptures.  A  young  converted 
Albanian  described  to  me  with  great  feeling  the  behavior  of 
an  assembly  of  his  countrymen  when  for  the  first  time  from 
his  lips  they  heard  a  prayer  which  they  could  understand  as 
well  as  the  one  to  whom  it  was  addressed.  They  seem  to 
have  thought  that  a  prayer  which  they  could  understand 
God  could  not,  and  so  it  would  never  reach  heaven's  throne. 

The  divisions,  antagonistic  and  exclusive,  among  these 
corrupt  churches  form  another  peculiar  feature  of  the  field. 
An  impartial  historian  states  that  there  are  in  Turkey  four- 
teen distinct  sects  of  Christians,  all  of  whom  hate  one  an- 
other. The  line  of  division  lies  not  so  much  along  doc- 
trines— though  the  sects  are  often  identified  with  various  de- 
funct heresies — as  along  national  and  political  lines.  There 
is  the  Greek  Church,  headed  by  Russia,  the  Gregorian  Ar- 
menian, the  Syrian,  and  the  Coptic,  or  ancient  Church  of 
Egypt.  The  Church  of  Rome  has  made  other  divisions, 
mainly  through  political  inducements   offered  to  the   op- 


The  Turkish  Dominions  115 

pressed,  or  througli  ecclesiastical  concessions,  granted  in  re- 
turn for  acknowledgment  of  Romish  supremacy. 

In  attempting  to  understand  this  motley  field,  two  princi- 
ples of  the  empire  must  always  he  kept  in  mind.  One  is 
the  Mohammedan  principle,  which  allows  non-idolatrous  peo- 
ples to  retain  their  religion  on  payment  of  a  poll-tax,  at  the 
same  time  freeing  them  from  military  duty.  The  other  is 
the  Turkish  principle,  which  allows  different  nationalities  to 
remain  distinct,  but  requires  them  to  be  represented  before 
the  Sultan  by  a  political  or  religious  head.  There  is  no  as- 
similating power  tending  to  unify  these  many  races  and  re- 
ligions, like  that  of  the  British,  or  even  the  Mughals,  in 
India.  The  consequence  is  that  all  these  separate  units  form 
a  conglomerate  state,  binding  religions  and  nationalities  to- 
gether in  a  repellent  contact,  ready  to  fly  apart  into  frag- 
ments the  moment  the  external  fettering  bond  snaps. 

The  population  under  the  immediate  rule  of  the  Sultan  is 
estimated  at  twenty-two  millions,  with  about  ten  millions 
more  in  the  tributary  states.  Distribute  these  millions 
among  the  adjacent  parts  of  three  continents,  among  three 
great,  hostile  faiths,  two  of  which,  at  least,  are  split  into 
warring  sects,  Christianity  being  at  once  most  divided  and 
most  corrupt;  distribute  these  same  millions,  once  more, 
among  fifteen  or  twenty  distinct  nationalities  and  races ;  place 
them  all  under  the  rule  of  a  hated,  bigoted,  once  mighty,  but 
now  decaying,  dynasty,  held  in  its  place  only  by  the  jeal- 
ousies of  European  powers — there  you  have  the  field  pre- 
sented to  missions  in  the  Turkish  dominions.  Remember, 
too,  that  many  of  these  races  are  not  fixed,  but  roving,  such 
as  the  Greeks,  Syrians,  Arabs,  Armenians,  Jews,  and  Gypsies  ; 
that  they  often  regard  one  another  with  settled  antipathy ; 
that   many   of   them   cherish    dreams  of    future   dominion 


116  Modem  Missions  in  the  East 

throughout  these  lands,  and  you  will  not  wonder  at  the  mot- 
ley crowds,  the  polyglot  speech,  the  conflicting  aims  and 
claims,  which  you  everywhere  encounter,  especially  at  such 
centres  as  Cairo,  Jerusalem,  Smyrna,  and  Constantinople. 

Of  the  forty-nine  Protestant  societies  for  Jewish  missions, 
employing  about  four  hundred  workers,  with  an  income  of 
$500,000,  there  is  naturally  a  good  representation  in  Turkey, 
centrino-  in  Jerusalem  and  Palestine.  It  is  estimated  that 
in  Palestine  there  is  one  missionary  for  every  thousand  Jews. 
My  impressions  of  the  work  as  I  saw  it  in  that  country  are 
not  hopeful.  Perhaps  half  a  dozen  societies  are  laboring 
specially  for  this  people,  though  until  within  a  few  months 
nothing  was  attempted  by  any  American  church  or  society. 
Nor  was  there  any  missionary  who  could  speak  in  Hebrew 
^with  the  rabbis,  which  would  seem  a  quite  indispensable 
qualification.  Now  Ben-Oliel  has  undertaken  work  of  this 
character  in  behalf  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  America. 

I  visited  various  mission  schools  for  the  Jews  in  Jerusalem 
and  elsewhere ;  I  saw  the  medical  work  carried  on  among 
them  ;  I  also  inspected  the  schools  of  the  Jewish  Alliance, 
where  young  boys  are  taught  useful  trades.  There  were  a 
few  alleged  converts,  and  a  number  of  the  school  children 
who  apparently  accepted  what  they  were  taught.  Some  of 
the  sects  seemed  to  bid  high  for  new  converts,  but  the  re- 
sults were  usually  doubtful.  The  missionaries  labored  more 
from  the  spirit  of  obedience  than  from  hope.  The  Jewish 
home  was  in  the  end  more  powerful  than  the  Christian 
school.  Above  all,  the  prevailing  type  of  Christianity  was 
not  of  a  kind  to  recommend  the  gospel  to  outsiders.  The 
best  work  seemed  to  be  done  by  those  who  had  no  special 
purpose  of  proselytism,  but  only  aimed  to  show  Christian 
love  to  the  Jews  by  works  of  kindness  and  relief.     Of  this 


The  Tarldsh  Dominions  117 

sort  was  the  Cliildrcn's  Hospital,  carried  on  by  Dr.  San- 
dreckzki  and  his  wife.  Still  more  effective  and  winsome  are 
the  example  and  devotion  of  that  eccentric  and  visionary 
company  of  people  called  "the  Americans."  These  Ameri- 
cans, also  called  "  Overcomers,"  form  a  little  community  of 
twenty-five,  brought  to  Jerusalem  under  the  leadership  of 
Mr.  Spafford,  a  lawyer  from  Chicago.  Their  object  was  to 
await  here  the  coming  of  Christ. 

I  took  tea  with  them  Sunday,  and  spent  the  evening. 
There  is  a  singular  peace  and  sweetness  about  them.  They 
toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin,  but  simply  love  God  and  man. 
Dr.  Sandreckzki  tells  me  of  their  nursing  with  the  utmost 
devotion  sick  strangers  who  fall  in  their  way.  Their  house 
is  open  to  all  with  wonderful  hospitality,  and  is  a  resort  of 
Jews  and  Mohammedans  as  well  as  of  foreigners. 

So  long  as  the  Jews  are  ostracized,  hated,  persecuted,  ex- 
pelled from  their  homes  by  Christians,  and  so  long  as  Chris- 
tians show  to  the  Jews  a  religion  divided  and  corrupt,  there 
can  be  little  hope  of  gaining  more  than  a  few  exceptional 
individuals  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  And  what  conversions 
are  accomplished  will  be  mainly  brought  about  by  putting 
the  New  Testament  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  into  their  hands, 
as  can  now  be  so  well  done  in  the  admirable  translation  of 
Delitzsch. 

There  are  few  phenomena  in  history  more  surprising  than 
the  rise  and  spread  of  Islam,  this  strange  faith  which 
"stamped  out  Christian  life  in  northern  Africa,  quenched 
the  pure  light  of  Christianity  already  flickering,  it  is  true,  in 
the  ancient  churches  of  Revelation,  conquered  and  held 
southern  Spain  for  nearly  seven  hundred  years,  holds  now 
the  whole  of  the  sacred  places  of  the  East,  put  life  and  vital- 
ity into  the  Indian  mutiny  in  1857,  kindled   the  Afghan 


118  Modern  Ifissions  in  the  East 

wars,  nurses  Mahdism  as  the  possible  weapon  for  scourg- 
ing Christendom  and  regaining  its  lost  domains,  and  shows 
everywhere  in  Africa  a  marvellous  power  for  both  fighting 
and  proselyting." 

With  all  that  may  be  said  for  it,  Islam  is  a  mental  and 
moral  cul-de-sac.  There  is  no  progress  in  it  or  beyond  it. 
Only  by  retreating  from  its  Mohammedanism,  from  its  Ko- 
ranolatry,  from  its  violence,  sensuality,  and  debasement  of 
woman,  and  by  getting  into  the  stream,  of  eternal  life,  can 
there  be  divine  knowledge  or  salvation  for  any  of  its  peoples. 

To  aid  in  bringing  this  about  there  should  be  found  to-day 
successors  of  Raymond  Lull,  described  as  the  only  man  who, 
until  quite  recent  times,  ever  succeeded  in  converting  to  the 
gospel  any  considerable  number  of  Mohammedans  residing 
in  a  country  under  a  Mohammedan  government.  There 
have  been  a  few  such  successors,  as  Dr.  Pfander  and  Bishop 
French,  the  latter  of  whom  has  recently  laid  down  his  life 
at  Muscat,  in  the  tropics  of  Arabia,  just  as  he  was  setting 
forth  alone  with  two  native  servants  and  a  tent  to  itinerate 
throughout  that  fanatically  Mohammedan  country.  But  if 
one- thousandth,  one  ten -thousandth,  part  of  the  men  and 
means  and  zeal  once  flung  into  the  Holy  Land  to  save  the 
sacred  places  from  the  Moslems  were  now  ready  to  be  put 
into  the  work  of  saving  the  Moslems  themselves,  there  would 
be  plenty  of  crusaders  to-day  to  succeed  where  those  bloody 
crusades  failed. 

Yet  should  such  a  crusade  be  now  organized  the  question 
would  remain  as  to  the  method  of  attacking  this  defiant 
faith'  Two  great  obstacles  would  at  once  confront  them. 
The  first  is  the  political  and  social  intolerance  of  Mohamme- 
dans. Among  them  heresy  is  treason.  The  subject  sects 
may  change  as  they  choose.     The  conversion  of  a  Moham- 


The  Turkish  Dominions  119 

medan  is  proscribed.  The  Sultan  may  promise  freedom 
never  so  often.  It  is  always  interpreted  to  apply  to  Chris- 
tians, not  to  Moslems.  I  have  seen  a  converted  Moslem  in 
Turkey.  It  was  a  woman,  who,  after  great  persecution,  was 
living  in  comparative  freedom  at  Marsovan.  There  may  bo 
occasional  instances  of  the  same  kind ;  but  if  the  convert  is 
a  man,  suddenly  he  disappears.  He  is  drafted  into  the  army 
and  sent  to  a  distant  part  of  the  empire,  whence  he  never 
returns.  In  India  all  this  is  different.  But  so  long  as  the 
Sultan  is  in  power,  and  especially  while  he  is  alarmed  for  the 
safety  of  the  faith,  as  at  present,  there  will  be  but  few  pub- 
lic conversions.  I  found  a  so-called  free-thinker  in  one  of 
the  Turkish  towns  who  seemed  to  be  held  in  all  honor. 
What  was  hidden  under  this  name  I  never  learned.  A  few 
Moslem  children  may  be  found  in  Christian  schools.  More 
than  that  can  hardly  be  expected.  The  intolerance  of  a 
Moslem  is  more  bitter  than  even  that  of  a  Hindu,  and  is  far 
more  powerful.  Even  the  political  break-down,  which  is  so 
sure  to  come,  can  hardly  change  that  sublime,  withering, 
anti-social  scorn  which  Islam  is  said  to  beget. 

The  second  hinderance  in  the  way  of  any  modern  spiritual 
crusade  is  of  an  entirely  different  kind.  The  greatest  ob- 
stacle in  the  way  of  Christianity  is  Christianity,  if  we  have 
any  right  to  apply  that  term  to  the  putrefying  corpse  which 
bears  the  name  of  oriental  Christianity.  Mohammedans  say, 
"We  have  lived  among  Christians  for  1200  years,  and  we 
want  no  such  religion  as  that."  A  missionary  writes  from 
Cairo :  "  The  commonest  Moslem  fellah  feels  himself  far 
superior  to  the  most  learned  Christian  from  a  religious  and 
moral  point  of  view,  for  he  considers  the  latter  an  idolater, 
worshipping  three  Gods,  and  pretending  that  God  was  born 
of  a  woman ;  while  he  knows  that  Allah  is  one,  and  hira 


120  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

alone  he  worships."  No  careful  observer  of  the  peoples  of 
Turkey  can  fail  to  see  that  those  found  in  the  deepest  depths 
of  drunkenness,  deceit,  irreverence,  and  corruption  are  oftener 
Christians  than  Turks. 

Plainly,  then,  our  first  work  in  this  empire  is  to  convert 
the  Christians.  Until  we  can  make  some  impression  on 
them,  and  so  remove  this  stumbling-block  out  of  the  way, 
we  are  fatally  handicapped.  Events  are  loosening  the  polit- 
ical bonds.  Only  God's  spirit  can  loosen  the  bonds  of  this 
dreadful  example. 

Not,  indeed,  that  we  are  to  give  np  all  special  labor  for 
the  Turk.  Something  is  constantly  being  done  in  this  line. 
But  two  things  should  be  well  remembered.  The  first  is 
that  the  still  hunt  will  best  reach  the  Moslem.  "  Tell  every 
church-member  and  every  presbytery  and  every  missionary 
society  to  say  nothing  upon  this  subject ;  tell  them  to  be 
silent,"  is  the  injunction  of  one  of  the  oldest  missionaries  in 
Turkey.  "To  talk  much  here  in  America  of  the  'wane  of 
the  crescent'  causes  the  men  of  the  crescent  over  there  to 
wax  hot."  A  missionary  writes  that  the  efforts  made  a  short 
time  ago  to  limit  the  sale  of  the  Turkish  Scriptures  were  in  no 
small  degree  the  result  of  the  frequent  references  in  the  jour- 
nals of  Europe  to  the  breaking  up  of  Mohammedanism.  "  I 
think  I  express  the  opinion  of  every  American  missionary," 
said  Mr.  Dale  at  the  pan-Presbyterian  council  at  Belfast  in 
1884,  "  when  I  say  that  it  is  not  advisable  to  organize  special 
societies  for  work,  and  especially  ecclesiastical  work,  among 
Mohammedan  peoples.  These  missionaries  believe  that  more 
individuals  of  any  one  class  will  eventually  be  reached  by 
working  among  all  classes.  Efforts  may  be  put  forth,  not 
as  an  attack  upon  Islam,  but  as  a  work  of  individual  conver- 
sion and  training ;  not  as  aimed  at  Islam  as  a  creed,  but  at 


The  TurJcish  Dominions  121 

individual  hearts  which  need  a  Saviour.  The  very  limitation 
of  work  to  a  single  class  and  the  declaration  of  that  fact  is 
sufficient  to  arouse  the  fiercest  opposition." 

The  second  point  to  be  observed  is  that,  quite  apart  from 
the  scandal  of  oriental  Christianity,  these  same  churches 
hold  the  key  to  the  situation  for  the  present  and  the  future. 
The  power  to  hinder  or  help  the  progress  of  evangelical 
Christianity  lies  right  in  their  hands.  If  they  choose  to  op- 
pose the  work  of  our  missions,  the  heads  of  the  various 
Christian  communities  have  but  to  make  a  few  insinuations 
to  the  Moslems  and  their  wrath  is  excited  at  once.  This  con- 
stantly occurs.  If  they  cannot  stir  up  the  Moslems,  they 
can  stir  up  their  own  people.  In  all  my  travels  through  Asia 
I  came  but  once  upon  the  scene  of  a  recent  riot.  That  was 
in  Smyrna,  the  seat  of  one  of  the  seven  churches  of  Asia. 
It  was  an  attempt  by  Christians  to  mob  their  fellow-Chris- 
tians. It  was  stirred  up  by  priests  in  their  pulpits.  It  was 
stopped  by  Moslem  troops,  on  the  appeal  to  Constantinople 
of  the  American  consul.  The  spread  of  gospel  teaching 
among  the  Greeks  had  been  so  great  as  to  alarm  the  eccle- 
siastics, who  incited  their  people  to  disturbance.  I  have 
among  my  relics  a  stone  thrown  by  the  mob  into  the  house 
of  the  friend  of  my  boyhood,  George  Constantino,  at  a  time 
when  his  wife  was  alone  in  her  home,  and  the  angry  mob 
sought  to  force  their  way  in.  Months  later  Mrs.  Constan- 
tine  died,  virtually  a  martyr  to  her  faith. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  oriental  Christians  once  accept  the 
pure  gospel  for  themselves,  and  seek  to  diffuse  it  among 
others,  none  have  such  opportunities  to  reach  Moslems.  They 
live  right  among  them,  in  daily  contact,  and  with  full  under- 
standing of  their  neighbors.  The  example  of  lives  and  com- 
munities regenerated  by  the  gospel  would  do  more  to  con- 


122  Modern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

vince  and  convert  Mohammedans  than  all  other  evidences  of 
Christianity.  Once  let  the  Greek  or  Armenian  Christians  be 
touched  by  the  glow  of  Christ's  love  for  souls,  planted  in  the 
midst  of  them  as  they  are,  they  will  have  such  facilities  for 
evangelization  as  no  others  could  have.  What  plainer  prov- 
idential indication  could  there  be  that  they  are  the  means 
through  which  their  former  conquerors  are  themselves  to  be 
conquered  by  the  love  of  Christ? 

When  Protestants  first  came  to  Turkey,  the  Turks,  on  see- 
ing their  worship,  sometimes  exclaimed,  "  Why,  these  are 
Moslems  !"  "  I  can  worship  here,"  said  a  Moslem  in  India, 
on  entering  a  Presbyterian  church,  where  he  found  no  cross 
or  other  symbol  that  might  seem  an  image.  When  the  east- 
ern churches  have  cast  off  the  terrible  burdens  of  ignorance, 
idolatry,  and  immorality,  and  have  been  revived  and  imbued 
with  a  missionary  spirit,  then,  and  not  until  then,  may  we 
hope  to  reach  the  Moslem  masses.  Then,  and  not  until  then, 
will  there  be  bright  hopes  for  the  conversion  of  the  eastern 
Jews.  Jewish  rigidity,  Moslem  intolerance.  Christian  degra- 
dation and  Christian  possibilities,  then,  form  the  all-sufficient 
reasons  why  our  missions  in  Turkey,  which  first  aimed  at  the 
Turks,  soon  came  to  concentrate  their  labors  mainly,  though 
not  exclusively,  on  the  Armenians,  Greeks,  Bulgarians,  and 
other  Christian  peoples. 

Among  non-Episcopal  churches  it  has  become  almost  axi- 
omatic that  the  oriental  churches  need  this  direct  missionary 
labor.  But  the  Anglican  Church  has  certain  parties  and  prel- 
ates who  bitterly  criticise  and  oppose  the  proselytizing  ef- 
forts of  American  missionaries  among  eastern  Christians. 
They  have  made,  and  are  still  making,  earnest  efforts  to  re- 
vive the  dead  churches,  and  at  the  same  time  to  preserve  the 
integrity  of  their  organization,  and  regard  American  meth- 


The  Turkish  Dominions  123 

ods  as  schismatic  and  harmful.  It  is  well,  therefore,  to  look 
more  carefully  at  the  condition  and  needs  of  the  oriental 
churches. 

In  Egypt  is  the  Coptic  Church,  venerable  in  its  antiquity, 
and  honorable  for  the  martyr-testimony  it  has  borne,  in  past 
times,  to  the  Christian  faith  in  the  face  of  Mohammedan 
compulsion.  But  a  church  can  never  live  on  its  history. 
There  are  350,000  of  them  to-day  among  4,000,000  Mos- 
lems. They  hold  the  Eutychian  heresy  of  asserting  but  one 
will  and  one  nature  in  Christ.  But  their  heresies  are  far 
more  fundamental  than  that.  In  customs  they  have  almost 
wholly  conformed  to  the  Mohammedans  around  them,  their 
women  being  veiled  in  public,  and  at  home  before  male  vis- 
itors. As  a  rule,  they  are  ignorant,  degraded,  immoral,  their 
priests  being  little  different  from  the  people.  Their  services, 
as  I  saw  them  in  their  great  church  in  Cairo,  and  as  they  are 
carried  on  through  the  land,  consist  almost  wholly  of  recit- 
ing the  Scripture  and  liturgy  and  celebrating  the  mass.  But 
the  Bible  is  read  in  the  ancient  Coptic  tongue,  understood, 
as  a  rule,  by  neither  people  nor  priest.  One  who  has  spent 
years  among  them  writes  that  in  many  places  little  difference 
was  to  be  found  between  Moslem  and  Christian,  except  that 
the  Mohammedan  said,  "  There  is  no  God  but  God,  and  Mo- 
hammed is  the  apostle  of  God,"  and  would  obstinately  re- 
fuse to  taste  of  the  intoxicating  arahi ;  while  the  Copt  would 
say,  "  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,"  and 
would  squander  his  means  and  injure  his  mind  by  daily  po- 
tions of  this  Arab  whiskey.  "  Certainly,"  says  this  writer, 
"  as  to  lying,  malice,  licentiousness,  desecration  of  the  Sab- 
bath, profanation  of  God's  holy  name,  and  bribery,  the  Copt 
differed  nothing  from  the  Mohammedan."  This  was  their 
condition  prior  to  all  missionary  work. 


124  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

Connected  with  the  Coptic,  as  her  daughter,  is  the  Abys- 
sinian Church.  The  six  or  seven  million  people  of  Abys- 
sinia form  both  "  the  only  Christian  nation  in  Africa,  and 
the  only  savage  Christian  race  in  the  world."  -They  are 
hardier  and  more  independent  than  the  Copts,  partly  because 
not  under  the  dominion  of  the  Turks.  But  they  are  none 
the  less  ignorant  and  corrupt.  Here,  as  with  the  Copts,  there 
is  no  image- worship,  but  the  more  worship  of  pictures  and  the 
Virgin.  According  to  Bishop  Gobat,  they  are  divided  into 
three  parties,  so  inimical  that  they  curse  one  another,  and 
will  no  longer  partake  of  the  sacrament  together.  It  is  one 
single  point  that  disunites  them  :  the  unceasing  dispute  con- 
cerning the  unction  of  Christ. 

We  have  already  passed  along  the  Turkish  coasts,  from 
Egypt  through  the  Black  Sea,  to  survey  the  lands  and 
peoples.  Now  what  of  the  missions  in  this  same  territory? 
In  all  there  are  over  400  stations  and  out-stations,  with  100 
ordained  missionaries,  150  organized  churches,  a  membership 
of  15,000,  and  30,000  pupils,  and  an  annual  sale  of  60,000 
Bibles  or  portions.  Every  important  seaport  has  either  a 
force  of  missionaries  or  an  evangelical  congregation  with 
pastor  or  preacher.  About  seventy  such  centres  are  occu- 
pied, and  from  them  the  work  spreads  out  in  every  direc- 
tion. 

In  Egypt  we  find  the  United  Presbyterians,  who  since 
1854  have  been  laboring  among  the  Copts.  Almost  without 
competition  from  any  other  society  they  have  held  the 
field,  and  now  all  along  the  Nile  from  Alexandria  to  the 
First  Cataract  at  Assouan  they  have  extended  their  churches 
and  schools.  Three  thousand  five  hundred  and  seventy-one 
communicants  are  distributed  among  eighty-six  stations,  and 
contribute  about  $7000  a  year  for  church  purposes.    In  their 


The  Turkish  Dominions  125 

schools  are  over  6700  pupils,  of  whom  800  are  Moham- 
medans daily  receivini^  Christian  instruction.  A  lari^e  part 
of  the  cost  of  the  schools  is  paid  by  the  Copts.  From  first 
to  last  they  have  baptized  some  sixty  Mohammedans,  all  of 
whom  were  the  result  of  indirect  labor,  and  none  of  whom 
have  apostatized.  Tlic  work  has  been  specially  blest  to  the 
women  of  Egypt,  not  one  of  whom  could  read  when  the 
mission  began,  while  now  one  in  every  700  can  read  with 
understanding.  With  some  of  the  ladies  of  the  mission  I 
visited  Coptic  homes  where  the  Bible  had  been  opened,  and 
I  found  that  the  veil  had  been  dropped  from  the  face  and 
the  heart  alike. 

Almost  without  competition,  I  said.  When  I  was  in 
Cairo  a  new  scheme  was  on  foot.  It  was  a  high -church 
English  college,  called,  in  memory  of  that  great  Englishman, 
Gordon  College.  The  very  plan  of  it  was  enough  to  make 
that  hero  rise  from  his  grave.  The  Ritualists  had  gone  to  the 
Coptic  patriarch,  and  sought  to  curry  favor  by  assuring  him 
that  they  had  not  come  to  oppose  him,  but  rather  to  co- 
operate with  him,  and  help  undo  the  mischief  done  by  the 
American  Presbyterians.  While  I  was  in  the  city  came  the 
meeting  of  the  Presbytery.  A  Coptic  ex-monk,  who,  had  he 
remained  in  his  church,  might  have  become  its  patriarch,  but 
who  preferred  to  be  a  Protestant  pastor,  being  present  at 
the  Presbytery,  improved  the  occasion  to  call  on  his  quon- 
dam friend,  the  patriarch.  He  found  the  English  Ritualists 
already  there,  and  not  being  himself  taken  for  a  Protestant, 
heard  much  of  their  conversation.  They  were  rather  coolly 
received.  When  they  regretted  the  divisions  made  by  the 
Protestants,  the  patriarch  said,  "We  are  all  one  in  Christ." 
They  enlarged  on  the  misfortune  of  having  his  people 
drawn    away    to    the   Presbyterian    services,    but    as    they 


126  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

departed  the  patriarch  turned  to  his  friend  and  said  with 
much  bitterness,  "  They  talk  about  my  people  being  drawn 
away  to  the  American  services,  but  do  you  know  where  my 
people  are  who  are  not  drawn  there?  They  are  in  the  grog- 
shops, sir !"  Such  was  the  forced  tribute  paid  by  one  who 
was  more  intelligent  and  honest  than  most  of  those  about 
him. 

Our  steamer  stops  at  Latakia,  where  the  Reformed  Pres- 
byterians are  at  work  among  the  Nusairiyehs.  At  Damascus 
we  find  a  vigorous  mission  of  the  Irish  Presbyterians.  The 
Church  Missionary  Society  has  several  important  stations  in 
Syria.  But  the  main  work  done  in  Syria  is  that  of  the 
American  Presbyterians  (North).  Who  can  help  being 
thrilled  as  he  contemplates  their  great  centre  at  Beirut,  with 
its  noble  college,  and  the  busy  printing-press,  and  the  de- 
voted band  of  veterans  and  pioneers? 

In  1890  there  were  in  this  Syrian  mission  thirty-nine 
American  laborers,  205  native,  1658  church-members,  and 
over  6000  pupils.  Over  $7000  a  year  has  been  contributed 
by  the  native  churches  during  the  last  five  years.  About 
400,000,000  pages  of  Scripture  have  been  distributed  since 
the  beginning  of  the  work.  Beirut  is  an  Arabic  centre  for 
all  Moslem  lands  among  the  fifty  millions  who  speak  the 
Arabic  tongue. 

Similar  encouraging  facts  might  be  told  about  the  mission 
to  the  Nestorians  in  Persia,  a  field  consecrated  early  in  the 
century  by  the  martyr  labors  of  Henry  Martyn,  and  entered 
upon  by  the  American  Board  in  1834,  but  transferred  to  the 
Presbyterians  along  with  Syria  in  1871.  But  this  lies 
beyond  the  limits  of  our  field. 

Scattered  throughout  Asia  Minor  are  the  stations  of  the 
American  Board.    I  need  not  remind  my  readers  of  the  gen- 


The  TurJcish  Dominions  127 

eral  features  of  tins  work,  of  tlic  five  theological  schools,  six 
colleges,  and  forty-one  boarding  and  high  schools,  of  the 
over  19,000  pupils  under  instruction,  or  of  the  122  churches 
with  a  membership  of  nearly  12,000.  The  future  of  new 
states  and  of  revived  nationalities  and  churches  lies  in  these 
regions.  The  making  of  them  is  largely  in  the  hands  of  the 
missionaries.  It  can  hardly  be  called  too  much  that  the 
American  Board  expended  there  last  year  $230,000,  or  that 
it  keeps  184  of  our  brethren  and  sisters  on  the  ground. 
See  the  shining  of  those  great  Christian  colleges  all  over 
Turkey,  at  Assiout  in  Egypt,  at  Beirut  in  Syria,  at  Aintab, 
Marash,  Harpoot,  and  Marsovan  in  Anatolia,  brightest  of  all 
at  Constantinople,  where  Robert  College  faces  both  Europe 
and  Asia. 

A  personal  visit  to  one  of  the  mission  fields  of  Turkey 
will  best  show  us  what  is  being  done.  It  shall  be  to  that 
paradise  of  missions,  Marsovan. 

The  May  meetings  in  Constantinople  are  through.  They 
have  gathered  men  from  all  over  Asia  Minor  and  from 
Turkey  in  Europe  for  their  annual  conference  about  their 
work.  Now  they  set  out  on  their  return,  and  we  are  invited 
to  join  them,  that  we  may  learn  the  truth  of  the  things  we 
have  heard  from  their  lips.  An  English  steamer  is  just 
vsetting  forth  for  Batoum,  and  is  willing  to  make  a  contract 
with  us  by  which  we  take  their  first  cabin  and  they  agree  to 
turn  aside  and  land  us  at  Samsoun.  We  improve  the  oppor- 
tunity to  chaff  our  missionary  group  upon  the  extravagance 
with  which  they  travel,  chartering  private  steamers  for  their 
special  use,  etc.,  but  are  glad  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  reduc- 
tion in  fare  thereby  secured.  On  through  the  Bosporus, 
out  upon  the  Black  Sea,  along  the  grand  mountainous  coast 
of  Asia  Minor  we  sail,  and  soon  are  in  the  custom-house  of 


138  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

Sanisoun,  on  the  south  shore.  Then  for  two  days  we  sweep 
on  over  the  coast  range  to  the  interior.  The  party  consists 
of  Dr.  Herrick  and  Mr.  Fowle  returning,  the  one  to  Marso- 
van,  the  other  to  Caesarea,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Riggs  with  five 
children  on  their  way  back  to  Marsovan,  after  an  absence  of 
two  years  in  America,  and  the  "globe-trotter."  At  Samsoun 
itself  we  have  an  interesting  mission  station  in  charge  of 
Babusinian,  a  native  Armenian,  who,  after  graduating  from 
Union  Seminary,  New  York,  was  so  devoted  to  his  people 
as  to  settle  down  here  on  a  salary  of  about  $500  and  a 
house ;  and  here  he  still  continues. 

Our  vehicles  for  travel  are  four  Turkish  arabas,  a  kind 
of  smaller  emigrant  wagon  or  prairie-schooner,  and  one 
light  covered  spring  wagon  or  carryall,  specially  imported 
from  America.  The  ladies  and  children  ride  in  the  carryall, 
the  rest  of  us  recline  on  mattresses  spread  out  on  the  spring- 
less  arabas,  or  take  to  our  feet.  Our  drivers  are  Moham- 
medans, who,  as  it  is  Ramazan,  the  Moslem  Lent,  must  fast 
from  dawn  to  sunset,  abstaining  even  from  water  and  to- 
bacco. We  experience  all  the  miseries  of  Turkish  khans, 
slightly  relieved  by  comforts  of  our  own,  and  still  more  by 
the  bravery  and  patience  of  the  one  lady  of  our  party. 
And  we  delight  in  the  ever-changing  mountain  scenery, 
with  continual  glimpses  of  the  Black  Sea  and  its  coasts,  as 
we  climb  up  and  around  the  mountains,  reaching  a  height 
of  three  or  four  thousand  feet.  It  is  a  classic  region.  Here 
the  Amazons  are  fabled  to  have  lived,  so  that  the  very  cocks 
would  crow,  "  Women  rule  here."  Here  was  the  dominion 
of  the  great  Mithridates,  and,  near  by,  the  older  Hittite 
empire.  In  Amasia  was  born  Strabo,  the  great  geographer, 
while  close  at  hand  is  the  spot  where  Csesar  wrote  those 
immortal  words,  "Veni,  vidi,  vici."     Will  our  missionaries 


TJie  Turkish  Dominions  129 

be  able  to  record  their  victories  in  the  same  land  in  the  same 
lanojnaoje  ? 

It  was  Saturday  afternoon  as  we  drew  near  Marsovan. 
Fifteen  miles  away  the  greetings  began.  Old  friends  and 
servants  appeared  in  the  villages  through  which  we  passed. 
Then,  while  we  were  lunching  in  a  khan,  the  school  -  boys 
from  Marsovan  began  to  pour  in.  Plunging  along  on  their 
steeds,  they  approached,  fez  on  head,  blankets  and  pillows 
heaped  on  their  saddles,  kicking  their  clumsy  stirrups  against 
their  foaming  horses'  flanks.  Some  were  on  donkeys,  some 
in  arabas.  A  hand-shake  with  each  and  a  welcome,  and  they 
passed  on.  Thus  we  were  attended  by  a  cavalcade  of  twenty 
horsemen,  besides  all  sorts  of  rumbling  conveyances.  As  we 
came  to  the  last  hill  that  hid  the  town  a  singular  sight  await- 
ed us.  Far  away  on  its  crest  were  six  strange  figures,  which 
at  first  seemed  so  many  trees,  arranged  in  regular  order.  As 
we  approached,  the  trees  became  animate,  and  out  against  the 
blue  sky  stood  black  waving  forms.  They  were  almost  like 
the  Spectre  of  the  Brocken,  and  stood  like  a  row  of  bricks, 
as  if  the  fall  of  one  would  bring  down  the  rest.  But  they 
turned  out  to  be  a  part  of  the  theological  class,  posted  on  the 
hill  to  welcome  us.  Then  they  sprang  down  the  slope  to 
greet  us  closer  at  hand.  Soon  the  town  itself  came  in  sight 
among  its  vineyards  on  the  opposite  quarter  of  the  plain. 
Our  train  was  met  by  a  much  larger  train  of  horsemen  and 
arabas.  Then  my  companions  exclaimed,  "Here  is  Mr.  Tra- 
cy 1"  ^' There  are  the  ladies!"  "There  is  Mr.  Smith  on 
horseback!"  "There  are  the  Armenian  professor  and  his 
wife  and  the  pastor,  on  horses  too !"  "  And  here  are  the 
boys  and  girls !"  Everybody  sprang  out.  The  right  ones 
embraced,  the  rest  shook  hands,  and  all  went  on  together. 
Finally,  close  to  town,  the  infantry  can^e  out  on  foot  to  meet 


130  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

us — men  and  women  and  babes  in  arms.  There  must  have 
been  three  or  four  hundred.  The  Greek  students  sang  a 
hymn  to  Mr.  Riggs,  to  which  he  made  a  reply  in  Greek. 
The  Armenian  students,  not  to  be  outdone,  gave  speeches  and 
hymns,  to  which  he  replied  in  Armenian.  Then  on  the  whole 
procession  moves,  skirting  the  Turkish  town,  rising  to  the 
highest  point  of  the  plain,  where  we  see  the  white  mission 
buildings  shine  conspicuous,  close  to  but  just  out  of  the 
town.     There  our  first  journey  ends. 

Here  we  are,  then,  at  a  mission  centre,  in  the  midst  of  this 
noble,  mountain -girt  plain.  What  has  it  to  tell  us  of  the 
mission  work?  Much,  very  much,  if  we  have  the  eyes  to  see 
and  the  ears  to  hear. 

The  city  of  Marsovan  lies  26Q0  feet  above  sea-level,  in  the 
midst  of  a  noble  plain,  clothed  with  vineyards  and  grain- 
fields,  girt  about  with  mountains  2000  or  more  feet  higher 
still.  It  lies  sixty  miles  from  Samsoun,  its  seaport,  and  the 
whole  region  has  a  population  of  some  350,000,  of  whom 
70,000  are  Greeks  and  35,000  Armenians,  the  remainder  be- 
ing Moslems.  Forty  years  ago — 1852 — two  missionaries 
and  their  wives  came  here  to  labor.  Before  the  close  of  the 
first  year  a  church  of  ten  members  was  formed.  Various  la- 
borers came  and  went,  but  in  1863  it  was  made  the  educa- 
tional centre  of  the  mission.  Year  by  year  the  out-stations 
multiplied,  until  now  there  are  twenty  places  occupied,  eight 
of  them  cities,  six  towns,  the  rest  villages.  Most  of  them 
are  at  least  twelve  miles  apart ;  all  but  two  are  over  twenty- 
five  miles,  or  a  day's  journey,  from  Marsovan.  Some  are 
five  days'  journey  from  that  centre.  In  1890  there  were  in 
this  field  3025  counted  as  Protestants,  792  church-members 
in  five  churches,  and  $5508.80  paid  by  the  people  themselves 
for  church,  education,  and  benevolence. 


The  Tarldsh  Dominions  131 

See,  now,  how  the  work  is  done.  Right  in  the  heart  of 
the  old  town  we  find  the  church.  On  Sunday  we  meet  here 
a  congregation  of  800  to  1000,  closely  packed  together  on 
their  mats  or  rugs  on  the  ground.  It  is  a  plain,  plastered, 
whitewashed  building,  with  two  low  railings  running  length- 
wise of  the  audience -room,  to  separate  the  women  on  the 
two  sides  from  the  men  in  the  middle.  The  men  wear  the 
fez,  coats,  trousers,  and  coarse  shoes,  most  of  which  last  are 
left  at  the  door  outside.  The  women  wear  sacks  and  skirts, 
with  or  without  stockings,  as  the  case  may  be.  Some  place 
a  white  handkerchief  of  long- cloth  over  the  head,  others 
a  red  shawl,  the  latter  being  the  finer  thing.  The  face  is 
not  covered,  but  the  shawl  is  drawn  close  about  it.  This 
gives  a  striking  look  of  uniformity  to  the  congregation ; 
and  as , nearly  all  are  sitting  on  the  floor,  they  are  densely 
packed  together.  Is  this,  then,  the  mission  church,  and  the 
scene  of  the  missionary's  labors?  By  no  means.  Here  are 
the  missionaries  and  their  families  seated  among  the  con- 
gregation, as  attentive  listeners  as  any.  The  pastor  is  Mr. 
Filian,  a  native  Armenian,  who  has  studied  in  America 
and  is  now  entirely  supported  by  his  own  church.  In 
1890  he  came  to  America  again  to  solicit  funds  for  the 
enlargement  of  his  church,  just  as  many  a  pastor  comes 
here  from  the  West.  It  was  by  him  that  I  was  asked 
to  speak  on  missions  to  his  people,  just  as  I  am  asked  at 
home. 

What,  then,  is  the  work  of  the  missionaries?  It  is  wholly 
outside  of  this  church,  which  they  planted  and  fostered,  and 
then  resigned  to  those  whose  it  is.  Their  work  is  institu- 
tional, evangelistic,  supervisory.  Let  us  look  at  the  institu- 
tions. They  are  all  in  a  group  just  outside  the  town,  where 
we   first  dismounted.     The   central   institution   is   Anatolia 


132  Modem  Missions  in  the  East 

College.  Starting  in  1881  as  a  higli-scbool,  it  graduated  in 
1886  into  a  college,  which  has  a  field  all  to  itself  of  a  coun- 
try nearly  twice  the  size  of  New  England.  But  it  would  be 
a  great  mistake  to  regard  this  as  wholly  a  missionary  college. 
It  is  in  charge,  like  Robert  College  and  many  other  such  in- 
stitutions, of  an  independent  board  of  managers,  five  of  whom 
are  missionaries  appointed  by  the  American  Board,  five  Ar- 
menians appointed  by  the  native  members  of  the  Pontus 
Evangelistic  Association,  the  president  of  this  managing 
board  being  an  Armenian.  The  catalogue  for  1892  shows 
that  four  of  those  now  giving  instruction  are  American,  seven 
are  Armenian  or  Greek,  and  two  natives  more  are  soon  ex- 
pected on  the  faculty.  There  are  in  all  117  students,  in- 
cluding the  preparatory  department.  Attached  to  this  is  also 
a  theological  school,  more  directly  in  charge  of  the  mission- 
aries. There  is,  besides,  a  large  girls'  boarding-school,  un- 
der charge  of  three  American  ladies,  assisted  by  several  na- 
tives. The  labor  of  the  missionaries  is  not  strictly  classified  ; 
on  the  contrary,  one  must  hold  himself  prepared  to  teach 
anything  under  the  sun.  I  found  Mr.  Tracy  teaching  first 
the  Bible,  then  English  from  Irving's  Sketch  Book,  then  In- 
ternational Law,  and  finally  Hopkins's  Outline  Study  of  Man. 
Mr.  Smith  taught  theology  in  the  seminary,  next  took  up 
the  Fourth  Reader  with  a  young  class  in  the  preparatory, 
then  went  over  for  a  class  in  the  girls'  school.  Mr.  Riggs, 
who  takes  Greek  as  well  as  Armenian  and  Turkish,  told  me 
he  had  occupied  every  chair  in  the  college.  In  addition  to 
this,  eacli  of  the  missionaries  is  doing  work  in  translation, 
commentaries,  treatises  on  theology,  etc.  But,  after  all,  Mar- 
sovan  is  only  a  centre  of  work.  A  tract  of  country  about 
360  by  120  miles  is  the  evangelistic  field  to  be  cared  for.  In 
every  one  of  the  out-stations  a  church  is  to  be  founded  and 


The  Turkish  Dominions  133 

brought  to  independence,  until  it  becomes  a  centre  for  its 
own  portion  of  the  larger  field. 

Come  with  me  if  you  do  not  shrink  from  a  mountain  ride 
on  these  hardy  ponies,  and  visit  one  of  the  stations,  only 
a  day's  journey  distant.  Amasia,  once  the  Mithridatic  cap- 
ital, would  be  the  most  interesting  for  scenery  and  archaeol- 
ogy. But  as  we  have  not  time  to  visit  more  than  one  sta- 
tion, we  will  rather  go  twenty-five  miles  over  the  mountain 
to  Vezir-Kopri.  As  almost  every  missionary  has  at  some 
time  or  other  been  robbed  in  the  course  of  his  travels,  it  is 
important  to  take  a  guard.  So,  first  and  foremost,  rides  the 
zabtieh,  or  mounted  Turkish  policeman.  He  carries  a  mag- 
azine gun  and  a  heavy  sword,  and  is  very  important  in  all 
the  glory  of  his  uniform,  which  of  itself  ought  to  frighten 
off  the  marauding  Circassians.  Then  comes  Mr.  Smith,  my 
host,  next  an  Armenian  student  from  the  seminary,  who  is 
to  preach,  and  I  follow  last  of  all.  We  ride  away  from  the 
Marsovan  plain,  up  over  the  mountain  range,  through  show- 
ers of  rain,  for  which  the  long-threatening  famine  makes  us 
very  grateful,  to  a  height  where  we  have  the  view  of  another 
rolling  plain,  over  which  are  scattered  many  Greek  villages. 
At  this  height  my  Armenian  companion  suddenly  turns  to 
me  with  an  exultant  question,  "  How  do  you  like  the  tur- 
key?" It  is  not  Thanksgiving-time,  but  I  can  think  of  only 
one  meaning.  I  answer  that  I  like  the  turkey  very  well  if 
it  is  well  cooked.  "  Oh,  you  do  not  understand,"  interposes 
the  missionary,  amused  at  the  amazement  of  the  questioner. 
"  He  means,  '  How  do  you  like  the  country  of  Turkey  ?'  " 
"  Ah,  yes,  I  like  it  well,  if  it  were  only  well  governed." 

An  hour  this  side  of  our  destination  an  araba  rolls  along 
towards  us,  out  of  which  emerge  six  young  men  who  have 
come  forth  to  meet  us.     Their  enthusiasm  is  very  touching, 


134  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

though  WG  prefer  our  steeds  to  the  pounding  of  the  araba,  to 
which  they  invite  us.  There  is  no  time  to  speak  of  the  thor- 
oughly hospitable,  oriental,  and  delightful  way  in  which 
they  entertain  us  for  the  next  three  days.  It  affords  an  in- 
sight into  the  simple,  natural  life  of  the  interior,  which  it 
would  be  hard  to  get  on  the  coast.  We  are  mainly  con- 
cerned to-day  with  their  church.  There  was  no  pastor  set- 
tled here  at  the  time  of  my  visit.  The  community  had  not 
been  doing  its  share  towards  the  support  of  one,  and  it  was 
thought  healthy  for  them  to  be  taught  his  value  by  absti- 
nence. But  in  1890  a  man  came  to  take  charge  of  this 
Protestant  community  of  150  souls.  See  what  he  does  and 
can  do.  He  is  the  teacher  of  all  the  non-Moslem  children  in 
the  place,  and  has  fifty  pupils.  lie  is  the  only  doctor  in  a 
town  of  1,500  population,  a  centre  of  160  villages.  He  was 
a  tailor  before  he  became  teacher  and  preacher,  and,  as  he 
has  a  sewing-machine,  he  makes  coats  sometimes  for  his 
parishioners.  Perhaps  he  wears  the  same  print  shirt  on 
Sunday,  without  collar  or  tie,  that  he  wore  on  Saturday. 
All  the  more  he  seems  the  Lord's  own  man  for  the  place. 
His  salary  is  about  $20  a  month. 

Some  years  ago  the  people  purchased  an  old  Turkish  khan, 
with  a  number  of  outlying  buildings.  Here  are  to  be  their 
clmrch,  school,  and  parsonage.  Here  they  are  still  worship- 
ping in  the  old  khan,  though  building  is  going  on.  There 
is  an  early  prayer-meeting  this  Sunday  morning  at  half-past 
six,  service  at  half-past  ten,  and  again  at  half-past  four. 
Come  with  me  in  the  afternoon.  The  "globe-trotter"  has 
been  asked  to  speak  on  missions,  which  he  is  always  ready 
to  do.  A  closely-packed  congregation  of  350  Turks,  Greeks, 
and  Armenians  is  assembled,  men  and  women,  as  usual,  di- 
vided by  a  railing.     Around  me  at  my  feet  on  the  semicir- 


The  7\irkUh  Dominions  135 

cular  platform  sit  a  dozen  of  the  pillars  of  the  church.  Mr. 
Smith  is  to  translate  for  mc  into  Armenian.  Just  as  I  am 
startini^,  the  student  who  has  come  to  preach  in  Turkish 
stops  mc  to  sugo^cst  that,  as  there  may  be  some  there  who 
understand  only  Turkish,  it  might  be  well  for  him,  after  each 
sentence  of  my  speech  has  been  put  into  Armenian,  at  once 
to  translate  it  into  Turkish.  I  reflect.  The  English  original 
will  take  half  an  hour,  the  Armenian  translation  at  least  as 
long,  and  how  much  longer  it  will  take  to  i)ut  it  into  Turk- 
ish— the  main  motto  of  whose  people  seems  to  be  "  Yawash! 
Yawashl"  (Slowly!  Slowly!) — I  have  no  means  of  knowing. 
Then  the  double  interval  between  my  sentences,  sent 
wandering  such  linguistic  distances,  might  perplex  or  over- 
whelm mc.  I  advise  him  to  remember  what  is  snid  and  tell 
it  to  them  in  brief  after  I  am  through.  At  that  time,  on 
inquiry,  he  found  that  all  but  half  a  dozen  had  understood 
Armenian,  so  he  simply  told  each  to  tell  the  story  to  his 
neighbor.  But  what  is  this  annoying  thing  that  is  liappen- 
ing  while  I  speak  ?  A  dozen  prominent  citizens,  as  I  have 
said,  are  seated  on  the  edge  of  the  low  platform  in  a  semi- 
circle at  my  feet.  Just  at  the  left,  among  them,  is  a  man 
at  whose  house  I  have  called,  and  who  has  expressed  great 
interest  in  what  I  am  going  to  tell  them.  But  every  time  I 
begin  to  take  up  my  story  he  carries  on  an  undertone  of 
constant  conversation  with  his  neighbor.  It  is  very  audible 
and  very  embarrassing,  especially  because  of  its  thoughtless- 
ness and  rudeness.  I  looked  severely  at  him,  but  with  no 
effect.  Then  I  gave  it  up  and  tried  to  ignore  it,  thouHi  it 
continued  to  the  end.  But  when  I  had  finished  I  expressed 
my  surprise  to  Mr.  Smith.  "  IJow  can  you  explain  it?'* 
"Oh,  you  don't  understand."  That  is  perfectly  plain. 
"  You  sec,  that  man's  neighbor  is  a  Greek,  who  understands 


136  3Ioder)i  3Iissions  in  the  East 

nothino-  of  what  was  said.  So,  as  fast  as  lie  caugbt  each 
sentence  from  my  lips,  he  turned  and  gave  it  to  him.  That 
is  how  he  came  to  be  talking  all  the  time  you  were  speak- 
ing." Then  I  understand.  And  I  learned  two  lessons.  One 
was  of  charity,  and  now  if  I  see  one  of  my  auditors  whisper- 
ing to  his  neighbor  while  I  am  speaking,  before  I  have  a  sin- 
gle thought  of  blame  I  wish  to  be  sure  that  he  is  not  report- 
ing or  applying  my  sermon  to  his  less  appreciative  neighbor. 
The  other  was  a  revelation  of  mission  methods.  This  is  the 
way  the  gospel  is  to  spread.  One  man  shall  pass  it  along  to 
the  next.  From  one  tongue  to  another  it  shall  slip  from 
language  to  language,  and  each  sermon  of  the  missionary  be 
multiplied  by  the  natives  far  beyond  the  thought  or  under- 
standing of  him  who  spake.  Thus  the  foreign  missionary 
works  hand  in  hand  with  the  native  pastor  and  layman. 

A  few  disciples  go  abroad  with  a  few  loaves  and  fishes, 
and  what  are  these  among  so  many  who  starve  for  lack  of 
bread?  But  their  faith  multiplies  both  the  food  and  the  la- 
borers. Each  who  receives  becomes  a  source  of  supply  and 
a  distributer.  Soon  the  work  is  passed  over  to  the  people  of 
each  place,  and  there  is  bread  enough  and  to  spare.  The 
Protestant  community  in  each  of  these  districts  is  always 
more  energetic,  enlightened,  and  prosperous  than  its  neigh- 
bors. Thus  the  work  must  ever  go  on  of  transferring  those 
who  are  simply  adherents  to  the  number  of  disciples. 

When  I  reached  Constantinople  once  more,  it  seemed  as  if 
I  had  come  from  another  world,  so  great  is  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  provincial  interior  and  the  splendid  cosmopoli- 
tan capital.  But  not  all  its  resources  could  have  taught  me 
so  much  about  missionary  work  in  Turkey  as  I  learned  from 
those  few  days  in  a  country  station  in  the  interior  of  Asia 
Minor. 


The  Turkish  Dominions  137 

When  I  was  in  Constantinople  I  felt  the  restless  tossings 
of  long-enthralled  nationalities  awaking  to  the  new  destinies 
that  might  be  theirs — Armenians  tliirsting  for  their  lost 
country  and  dispersed  people  ;  Bulgarians  panting  and  striv- 
ing for  freedom  in  a  Greater  Bulgaria;  Egyptians  claiming 
independence ;  Jews  praying  for  a  return  to  the  land  of  Da- 
vid, and  Solomon ;  Greeks  dreaming  strange  dreams  of  a 
greater  and  united  Greece,  yes,  even  of  an  eastern  empire 
restored  to  them,  with  Constantinople  as  its  centre.  I  saw 
the  Turk,  still  defiant  but  apprehensive,  dimly  conscious  that 
the  end  is  near  at  hand,  lamenting  the  sins  of  his  people — 
such  sins  as  that  the  women  do  not  wholly  veil  their  faces, 
that  the  men  do  not  slay  the  infidels.  I  discerned  the  subtle 
plotting  of  diplomacy  to  guard  or  gain  the  Queen  City,  and 
so  the  empire  of  the  East.  Everything  seemed  then,  as  now, 
uncertain.  It  might  be  peace,  it  might  be  war;  but  all  were 
sure  that  the  old  was  breaking  up,  whether  to  make  way  for 
inrushing  floods  of  destruction,  or  for  better  days  and  nobler 
nations,  none  could  tell.  Then  I  went  to  the  most  sacred 
and  vital  spot  of  Stamboul,  not  to  St.  Sophia,  which,  with 
all  the  lights  and  prayers  of  Ramazan,  testified  only  to  the 
degradation  and  defeat  of  the  purer  by  a  coarser  faith,  which 
had  become  God's  scourge.  I  went  to  the  Bible  House,  and 
there  first,  while  all  was  shaking  about,  I  felt  that  I  stood 
upon  a  rock,  the  very  Rock  of  Ages.  The  old  city  had  fall- 
en because  it  was  built  upon  a  shut  Bible ;  this  city  was 
about  to  fall  because  it  was  built  upon  the  Koran.  But  here 
on  the  open  Bible  was  being  reared  a  city  which  hath  foun- 
dations, whose  builder  and  maker  is  God. 

Entering  the  Bible  Ilouse,  I  found  there  a  company  of 
American  missionaries,  and  of  Greek,  Armenian,  and  Bulga- 
rian pastors,  with  native  professors  from  Robert  College,  and 


138  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

women  teaching  in  the  girls'  college  at  Scutari.  They  had 
gathered  from  remote  parts  of  the  empire,  and  were  planning 
for  their  work  throughout  wide-spread  countries.  Here  I 
saw  the  future  open  before  me.  The  storm  might  come  and 
the  flood  sweep  away  every  house  that  was  built  on  the  sand. 
But  this  house  was  built  upon  a  rock.  And  these  men  had 
laid  foundations  broad  and  deep,  which  no  flood  could  under- 
mine. To  carry  off  the  flimsy,  tottering  structure  on  the  sur- 
face would  but  reveal  the  deeper  rock-work  they  had  done. 
Come  what  might,  the  Bible  work  in  all  those  lands  was  the 
basis  on  which  the  newer  life  must  rest.  And  so  I  sat  quiet  at 
the  heart  of  things  and  on  that  foundation  of  things,  and  while 
our  men  discussed  the  need  of  this  station  and  that  station 
and  the  appropriation  to  be  made  for  each,  I  seemed  only  to 
see  builders  fitting  stone  after  stone  into  its  place  in  the  walls 
of  what  was  to  be  a  great  city  of  God,  which  should  gather 
within  it  millions  of  those  debased  Christians  and  bigoted 
Mohammedans  born  into  a  new  faith,  a  city  where  St.  So- 
phia should  be  reconsecrated  to  Heavenly  Wisdom,  where 
every  mosque  should  become  a  church  and  every  church  be 
free  from  idolatry,  where  the  seraglio  should  be  a  college 
for  Christian  women,  where  the  Sultan's  palaces  should  be 
school-houses  and  libraries  and  art  galleries  and  asylums  for 
the  needy,  where  the  veil  should  be  lifted  from  the  face  of 
women  and  from  the  hearts  of  all.  I  seemed  to  see  the 
whole  of  these  Turkish  dominions  growing  into  this  likeness 
to  the  city  of  God. 


CHAPTER  VI 

ENTRANCE    INTO    WORK 

The  field  has  been  surveyed,  the  consecration  has  been 
made,  the  call  received,  the  preparation  secured,  the  mis- 
sion designated.  Next  comes  the  outfit.  It  Averc  well  if 
every  large  mission  should  follow  the  example  of  the  Con- 
gregational mission  in  North  China,  and  publish  explicit 
suirjTcstions  as  to  what  a  family  should  brinov  In  fact 
there  is  room  and  need  for  a  compact  mission  manual  con- 
taining the  boiled-down  experience  of  missionaries  in  both 
spiritual  and  material  things.* 

The  missionary  sails  from  the  Atlantic  or  the  Pacific 
coast,  and  the  ocean  voyage  may  be  to  him  a  most  fruitful 
season.  Things,  however,  are  greatly  changed  from  the 
times  when  several  months  were  spent  on  the  way  in  sail- 
ing-vessels ;  months  which  brought  to  Judson  and  others 
such  changes  of  belief  as  affected  their  whole  life.  Yet 
even  to-day  one  may  make  his  steamer  an  Arabia,  and  he 
may  there  win  friends  both  for  missions  and  for  Christ. 
Some  will  make  an  attack  npon  the  language,  but  let  them 
not  imitate  an  industrious  companion  of  mine  on  the  Pa- 
cific who  learned  300  Chinese  characters  upside-down.  If 
the  journey  is  overland  through  Europe,  the  opportunity 

*  Such  a  work  for  one  countrv  is  to  be  found  in  the  Indian  Mission- 
ary Manual,  compiled  by  John  Murdoch,  Loudon. 


140  Modern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

to  study  Englisli  and  Scotch  and  German  cliurclies  should 
not  be  neglected;  if  across  America,  a  sight  of  western 
home-mission  work  will  inspire  the  missionary. 

The  first  landing  may  be  at  some  central  port  like  Con- 
stantinople, Beirut,  Bombay,  Yokohama,  Hong-Kong,  or 
Shanghai.  Happy  are  those  who  then  experience  the  joy 
of  welcome,  rest,  and  counsel  in  the  home  of  some  veteran 
in  the  work,  like  the  Hepburns,  the  Gulicks,  the  Chalmerses, 
the  Humes,  the  Dennises,  or  any  of  the  Constantinople 
families.  Friends  come  out  to  the  steamer,  and  eager 
hands  of  welcome  are  extended.  You  are  the  one  who  is 
wanted.  You  are  seized  and  spirited  through  the  hubbub 
of  arrival,  while  the  unexpected,  ungreeted  "globe-trotter" 
may  be  left  to  struggle  helplessly  with  the  native  boatmen, 
baggage-men,  couriers,  hotel-runners,  and  custom-house  offi- 
cers. What  delightful  days  of  hospitality  and  Christian  in- 
tercourse before  you  enter  your  own  quarters  or  set  out 
for  your  station  in  the  interior  !  That  first  sight  of  mission 
work  will  always  be  remembered,  and  those  first  friends 
on  the  ground.  You  are  brought  right  to  the  heart  of  the 
enterprise,  and  in  the  most  loving  way.  Meantime  you 
purchase  and  pack  your  furniture,  your  provisions,  your 
whole  outfit  for  the  interior. 

Then  you  set  out  for  your  own  field.  Here  a  new  hap- 
piness awaits  you.  It  is  the  welcome  of  those  whose  life 
you  are  to  share,  both  the  missionaries  and  the  natives.  I 
have  experienced  the  welcome  given  to  a  visitor,  and  have 
participated  in  that  given  to  secretaries  and  to  missionaries. 
I  see  it  all  before  me  now — the  swarthy,  beaming,  intelli- 
gent faces  of  the  native  Christians,  who  greet  you  at  the 
steamer  landing  or  the  railroad  station,  or  who  come  steam- 
ing out  miles  along  the  road  to  meet  you.     They  must  all 


Entrance  into  Work  141 

shake  hands,  a  new  art,  perliaps,  and  the  more  diligently 
cultivated.  They  must  know  your  honorable  age,  your 
honorable  name  and  family,  and  if  you  are  in  China  you 
must  be  ready  before  long  with  your  Chinese  name. 
Many  of  them  marvel  that  one  wlio  looks  so  intelligent 
should  know  nothing  of  their  language.  In  most  places 
where  you  go  at  first,  mission  buildings  are  already  pro- 
vided, and  you  may  soon  be  settled  down  at  work  to 
remedy  that  ignorance. 

But  somewhere  along  here  will  come  to  most  an  ex- 
perience that  is  not  down  on  the  programme.  It  may 
come  earlier  or  later — it  is  pretty  sure  to  come.  One  who 
described  it  as  he  entered  Asia  Minor  calls  it  the  Battle  of 
Issus.  It  is  a  battle,  by  whatever  name.  Forewarned  is 
forearmed. 

Your  choice  of  the  mission  work  has  been  made  with 
all  seriousness,  but  probably  in  the  glow  of  consecration. 
The  need,  the  opportunity,  the  command,  the  example  have 
all  pressed  upon  your  heart.  The  missionary  life  has 
seemed  to  you  the  noble,  heroic,  consecrated  life.  With 
readiness  to  make  every  sacrifice  you  have  devoted  your- 
self to  it.  That  supreme  ideal  has  for  years  risen  up  be- 
fore you  and  drawn  you  on. 

But  now  that  you  are  on  the  field  the  reality  seems  very 
different  from  what  you  had  expected.  It  is  at  once  easier 
and  harder.  Many  discomforts  and  difticulties  you  had 
anticipated  are  perhaps  not  encountered  at  all.  The  houses 
are  far  more  comfortable  than  you  had  supposed,  too  com- 
fortable, perhaps,  you  think ;  the  surroundings  are  more 
pleasant,  the  community  more  civilized.  But  the  disillu- 
sionizing process  has  begun  ;  the  work,  after  the  first  glance 
at  it,  seems  dull  and  commonplace.     Business  has  settled 


142  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

down  into  a  regular  routine,  with  little  of  the  spontaneity 
you  looked  for.  The  great  fields  you  behold.  There  is 
some  seed-sowing ;  but  you  see  little  fruit,  and  much  that 
you  do  see  you  do  not  wholly  like.  You  detect  grave  de- 
fects in  the  work,  and  the  worst  is  that  the  missionaries 
seem  to  acquiesce  in  the  evil.  Then  you  discover  that  not 
only  are  the  native  converts  as  a  rule  greatly  lacking  in 
Christian  attainments,  stained  and  scarred  with  the  marks 
and  wounds  and  sores  of  hereditary  and  acquired  heathen- 
ism, but  the  missionaries  themselves,  whose  names  you 
have  revered  for  years,  are  human,  and  many  serious  faults 
mar  their  life  and  their  work.  You  have  looked  for 
whitened  fields  ;  you  see  the  tares  choking  out  the  grain. 
You  have  looked  for  springing  life  ;  you  see  deadening 
routine.  You  have  looked  for  spirituality  ;  you  seem  to 
find  a  secularized  work,  with  unaspiring  workers,  common- 
place aims,  and  even  petty  jealousies.  Thus  you  become 
thoroughly  dissatisfied  with  much  that  is  about  you. 

This  painful  view  of  the  great  subject  may  come  any 
time  within  the  first  two  or  three  years.  But  however  or 
whenever  it  comes,  the  main  thing  is  to  go  through  the 
struggle,  not  to  draw  back.  If  you  go  through  it,  this  dis- 
satisfaction with  others  will  extend  to  yourself.  Perhaps 
it  began  with  this.  You  now  see  the  real  difficulty  of  the 
work.  It  looked  easier  to  convert  the  world  once  than  it 
now  looks  to  convert  this  keen,  shrewd  heathen  teacher 
with  whom  you  spend  an  hour  daily,  or  these  heathen  chil- 
dren who  come  to  the  schools,  or  these  haughty  Mandarins 
or  Brahmins  whom  you  meet  every  day,  and  feel  that  they 
amiably  despise  you.  You  question  whether  you  have  the 
right  spirit,  after  all ;  whether  you  can  ever  reap  any  fruit 
from  such  soil  as  this;  whether  you  are  worthy  to  be  in- 


Entrance  into  WorJc  '    143 

trusted  with  such  a  charge.  The  whole  burden  of  heatlien- 
ism  seems  to  press  upon  you  and  crush  you ;  even  your 
friends  seem  far  from  you.  You  wander  alone  in  a  spirit- 
ual wilderness,  where  your  soul  hungers  for  food  and  finds 
none.  Just  then  the  tempter  slips  his  most  subtle  insin- 
uations into  your  ear :  harsh  criticism  of  others,  false 
doubts  of  yourself,  questionings  even  of  your  faith  and 
your  God. 

Living  for  months  close  to  the  heart  of  missionaries  on 
the  field,  I  have  beheld  those  who  had  just  come  out  of 
this  fight,  and  were  looking  on  new  heavens  and  a  new 
earth,  for  they  had  seen  God  working  all  around  them 
through  the  errors  and  the  faults  of  men.  And  having 
thus  found  God  they  were  at  peace. 

The  struggle  with  the  language  begins  at  once;  I  should 
rather  say  languages.  I  seem  now  to  catch  the  sound  of 
all  the  tongues  I  heard  in  the  two  years  of  travel,  and  it 
makes  earth  seem  like  a  wild  Babel.  Yet  all  are  one  to 
the  ear  of  the  Father.  All  have  a  tragic  note  of  sin  and  a 
secret  strain  of  need.  And  every  day  all  grow  more  musi- 
cal with  the  sound  of  salvation.  For  God  has  given  to  his 
church  the  gift  of  tongues,  and  with  the  tongues  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  make  this  Babel  a  Pentecost,  tliis  tower  of  dis- 
cord, confusion,  and  separation  a  temple  of  union,  peace, 
and  love. 

It  is  a  hard  task  for  most  to  learn  an  Asiatic  lanjjuaofe. 
Even  if  but  one  is  undertaken,  it  has  various  forms.  There 
are  the  written  and  the  spoken  language,  often  very  differ- 
ent. Of  the  spoken,  there  are  the  common  and  the  cultured 
forms.  If  one  learns  the  latter,  the  people  on  the  street 
may  not  understand  him  ;  if  the  former,,  he  will  be  lauo-hed 
at  when  he  speaks  in  the  pulpit.     Often  one  language  is 


144  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

not  enough,  especially  in  India  and  Turkey,  while  in  China 
one  must  learn  different  dialects  of  the  same  language. 
Archdeacon  Moule,  in  Shanghai,  receives  inquirers  in  a 
room  stored  with  maps,  pictures,  books,  and  all  kinds  of 
baits  to  draw  thoughtful  Chinese  to  the  gospel  hook.  He 
is  constantly  attended  by  a  native  assistant,  who  speaks, 
and  needs  to  speak,  nine  different  Chinese  dialects.  The 
Chinese  is  so  interwoven  with  Japanese  that  any  one  who 
would  master  the  latter  must  know  something  of  the  former. 
In  parts  of  Central  and  Northern  India,  Hindostani  is  al- 
most as  important  as  the  Marathi,  Bengali,  or  Punjabi,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  benefit  of  reading  the  Sanskrit  for  the 
sake  of  Hindus,  or  Arabic  and  Persian  for  Mohammedans 
and  Parsees. 

Dr.  Goodell's  first  winter  in  the  East  was  spent  in  the 
study  of  the  Turkish,  Armenian,  and  Arabic  languages. 
What  he  writes  at  this  time  from  Beirut  would  apply  to 
very  many  parts  of  Turkey :  "  We  almost  daily  read  the 
Scriptures  in  ancient  Greek,  modern  Greek,  ancient  Ar- 
menian, modern  Armenian,  Turkish-Armenian,  Arabic,  Ital- 
ian, and  English,  and  frequently  hear  them  read  in  Syriac, 
Hebrew,  and  French.  Seldom  do  we  sit  down  to  our  meals 
without  hearing  conversation  at  the  table  in  Armenian, 
Greek,  Arabic,  Turkish,  Italian,  and  English,  and  prayer 
daily  ascends  from  this  house— I  hope  to  Heaven — in  all 
these  languages  excepting  the  Italian." 

The  languages  used  for  communicating  instruction  in 
Robert  College  and  the  Girls'  Home  at  Scutari  are  Turk- 
ish, Armenian,  Greek,  Bulgarian,  and  English  ;  and  to  show 
that  this  is  not  peculiar  to  the  coast,  at  Anatolia  Col- 
lege, at  Marsovan,  all  of  these  save  Bulgarian  are  used, 
while   in   that    same    region,  including    English,  French, 


Entrance  into  Work  145 

and  German,  fourteen  different  languages  may  be  heard 
every  day,  each  used  as  the  vernacular  of  some  class  of 
people. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  every  one  to  be  a  linguist  or  trans- 
lator. But  it  should  be  a  uniform  rule,  with  rare  exceptions, 
to  learn  the  vernacular  of  the  section  where  one  is  to  labor. 
And  the  work  needs  to  be  done  thoroughly.  I  have  seen 
veteran  missionaries  whose  usefulness  had  been  impaired 
all  their  life  because  they  neglected  the  language  in  the 
first  few  years.  One  should  lay  broad  foundations,  and 
refuse  to  be  diverted  even  by  pressing  calls  from  this  study 
of  the  language.  Nor  will  it  be  enough  to  have  a  teacher 
and  many  hours  of  study.  To  this  should  be  added  con- 
stant intercourse  with  the  people.  There  should  be  a  sol- 
emn purpose  to  take  possession  of  the  language  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  not  making  slipshod,  slovenly  business  of  it, 
but  mastering  it  as  a  bright,  keen  instrument  ready  for  the 
service  of  the  gospel.  One  can  have  great  sympathy  with 
that  good  blunt  Tamil  deacon  who,  at  a  union  meeting,  is 
said  to  have  prayed  for  the  missionaries  in  this  wise :  "  O 
Lord,  thou  knowest  that  these  dear  missionaries  understand 
Greek  and  Latin  and  ILebrew  from  their  infancy  up,  but 
thou  seest  what  work  they  make  with  the  Tamil.  We  be- 
seech thee,  0  Lord,  to  have  mercy  upon  them."  It  is  said 
that  a  missionary  had  once  been  preaching  with  great  ear- 
nestness in  Tamil  (as  he  thought)  to  a  large  audience  for 
about  half  an  hour,  when  an  old  woman  in  the  congrega- 
tion rose  and  begged  that  he  would  tell  them  in  their  lan- 
guage what  he  had  been  so  eloquently  describing  in  his 
own.  A  friend  of  mine  in  Tokyo  was  suddenly  called  on 
to  dismiss  a  native  congregation.  The  amazement  of  the 
audience  may  be  imagined  when  in  the  name  of  the  Trini- 

10 


146  Modem  Missions  hi  the  East 

ty  tbey  heard  him  pronounce  over  them  the  formula  of 
baptism  instead  of  benediction. 

Such  mistakes  are  certain  to  occur.  "  I  never  learned  to 
speak  a  thing  rightly,"  said  Dr.  Mullens,  at  the  Liverpool 
Conference,  "  without  having  first  said  it  wrong." 

Impatience  to  get  at  work  should  be  firmly  repressed, 
except  as  work  can  be  done  in  the  very  process  of  acquir- 
ing the  language.  A  large  number  of  societies  provide  for 
language  examinations  during  the  first  two  or  three  years, 
before  passing  which  the  candidate  shall  not  be  considered 
a  full  missionary.  The  China  Inland,  which  requires  least 
at  home,  is  most  rigid  on  the  field.  Men  are  to  be  stu- 
dents or  probationers  for  the  first  two  years  in  the  field. 
"  At  the  end  of  that  period,"  say  the  regulations,  "  should 
they  have  approved  themselves,  they  will  be  recognized  as 
junior  missionaries  for  the  next  three  years.  But  if  they 
have  proved  unstable,  unable  to  cope  with  the  difliculties 
of  the  language,  to  bear  the  climate,  to  harmonize  with  their 
brethren,  to  adapt  themselves  to  the  Chinese,  or  have  oth- 
erwise shown  themselves  unsuitable,  the  directors  and 
council  will  make  the  best  arrangements  in  their  power  to 
facilitate  their  retiring." 

All  this  toil  and  delay  are  very  different  from  that  joy- 
ful evangelism  which  the  young  missionary  has  pictured 
to  himself.  "  It  is  dull  work,"  writes  one,  "  to  pass  the 
day  saying  Ting,  Tang,  in  a  hundred  different  tones."  The 
further  one  goes  in  Japanese  or  Chinese,  the  harder  seems 
the  task.  "  To  thoroughly  master  the  Chinese  would  re- 
quire," it  is  said,  "a  head  of  oak,  lungs  of  brass,  nerves  of 
steel,  a  constitution  of  iron,  the  patience  of  Job,  and  the 
lifetime  of  Methuselah." 

In  view  of  this  serious  delay  at  the  very  entrance  to  the 


Entrance  into  Work  147 

work  some  have  been  disposed  to  pray  for  the  gift  of 
tongues,  that  they  might  begin  at  once.  But  it  requires 
little  observation  to  discover  that  this  is  a  providential  de- 
tention, in  itself  almost  the  salvation  of  missions.  There 
are  mistakes  enough  made  as  it  is.  If  novices  were  able 
to  begin  at  once,  knowing  nothing  more  about  the  people 
than  they  do  when  they  land,  there  would  be  terrible  con- 
fusion. But  the  study  of  the  language  compels  the  study 
of  the  people ;  the  study  of  the  people  brings  adaptation 
to  them,  and  all  this  results  in  that  practical  wisdom  which 
is  one  of  the  secrets  of  success.  "  The  soul  must  be  ac- 
climatized as  well  as  the  body  and  the  tongue." 

As  time  goes  on  in  the  study  of  the  language,  the  mis- 
sionary begins  to  realize  that  he  has  entered  into  many  new 
relations  which  have  no  real  equivalent  at  home,  but  which 
define  and  guide  his  work  abroad. 

1.  There  is  his  relation  to  the  home  board  and  the  churches. 
At  home  a  pastor  is,  in  his  work,  practically  independent  of 
any  authority  outside  his  parish.  For  his  character  and 
general  orthodoxy  he  is  responsible  to  his  brethren ;  other- 
wise he  is  free,  leading  and  consulting  his  church,  to  do  his 
work  as  to  him  seems  best.  But  for  the  missionary  the 
source  of  both  supply  and  authority  is  at  home.  He  is  sent 
out  by  the  society  or  the  church,  as  the  case  may  be,  and  is 
kept  there  by  them,  subject  to  their  control.  Their  policy 
may  be  right  or  wrong.  They  may  wisely  allow  to  each 
mission  large  liberty  in  shaping  its  own  course,  actino- 
mainly  as  an  inspirer  of  new  measures  and  a  final  court  of 
appeal ;  or  they  may,  mistakenly,  try  to  direct  everything 
from  home.  *'  It  has  pleased  God,"  says  one,  "  that  even 
mission  boards  shall  be  able  to  learn  by  experience."  But, 
as  a  rule,  the  mission  board  has  had  its  experience  ;  the 


148  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

young  missionary  has  not.  The  latter  may  hesitate,  delay, 
protest,  against  what  he  believes  a  mistake ;  he  may  suc- 
ceed in  bringing  about  a  change  if  he  can  show  sufficient 
reason ;  but  if  not,  he  has  the  choice  to  yield  or  resign. 

In  such  respects  the  relation  of  the  home  missionary  to 
his  society  differs  radically  from  that  of  the  foreign  mis- 
sionary to  his  board.  Though,  perhaps,  nominated  by  the 
society,  the  home  missionary  is  usually  called  by  his  own 
church,  and  paid,  as  a  rule,  only  in  part  by  the  society,  and 
has  but  a  transient  and  loose  relation  to  it.  He  is  more  the 
pastor  of  his  church  than  he  is  the  agent  of  his  society, 
while  the  constant  aim  on  every  side  is  to  cut  all  ties  of  de- 
pendence on  the  society,  and  form  complete  and  permanent 
relations  between  his  people  and  himself  as  their  settled 
pastor,  wholly  devoted  to  and  supported  by  them. 

The  native  churches,  however,  pay  the  foreign  missionary 
nothing.  It  is  not  intended  that  he  should  be  in  any  way 
dependent  on  them.  His  relation  to  the  home  board  is,  in 
its  very  theory,  permanent ;  his  dependence  on  it  complete. 
It  is  the  peculiarity  of  this  relation  which  forms  a  rea- 
son, too  little  considered,  for  special  claims  which  he  has 
on  the  home  board  in  the  way  of  support  and  provisions 
for  the  future.  But  I  mention  it  here  mainly  to  enforce 
the  fact  that  the  foreign  missionary  always  is,  Avhat  the 
missionary  at  home  never  is,  the  agent  of  his  society.  This 
fact  should  determine  his  allegiance  before  he  enters  on  its 
work.  Home  methods  may  concern  him  little,  but  he 
should  know  and  heartily  indorse  its  general  foreign  pol- 
icy before  he  accepts  his  appointment.  Then  he  should 
yield  good,  loyal  allegiance  to  its  principles  and  methods. 
He  will  find  any  wise  board  eager  for  all  the  light  on  mis- 
sion problems  it  can  receive,  and  he  will  cheerfully  comply 


Entrance  into  V/'ork  149 

with  their  suggestions  cand  co-operate  with  their  plans. 
They,  on  the  other  hand,  will  hold  liim  the  nearer  to  their 
heart  and  sympathy  because  he  is  so  dependent  on  them. 
All  this  is  well  expressed  in  words  quoted  from  the  London 
Missionary  Society's  instructions :  "  Be  honest  and  can- 
did to  us  respecting  your  work ;  help  us  to  understand  it 
by  faithfully  reporting  its  dark  as  well  as  its  bright  feat- 
ures. Do  not  exaggerate  the  good  nor  conceal  the  bad, 
that  while  we  rejoice  in  your  successes  we  may  sympathize 
truly  with  you  in  your  trials." 

2.  His  relations  to  his  missionary  brethren.  These,  too, 
are  apt  to  be  little  thought  of  in  the  first  consecration  to 
the  work.  They  are  official  and  personal.  The  working 
force  on  the  ground  is  organized  into  the  mission.  Accord- 
ing to  the  degree  of  liberty  allowed  by  the  board,  the  mis- 
sion determines  more  or  less  of  its  own  operations.  The 
new-comer  may  find  that  his  brethren  want  him  for  a  very 
different  place  from  that  which  he  supposed  he  should  oc- 
cupy. He  will  discover  that  his  own  plans  for  work  are  to 
be  laid  before  the  mission  ;  that  his  estimates  for  the  ex- 
penses of  his  station  must  receive  the  approval  of  the  mis- 
sion before  they  can  be  presented  to  the  home  board.  He 
will  learn  that  rival,  sometimes  conflicting,  claims  of  differ- 
ent stations  are  to  be  carefully  adjusted  in  the  interest  of 
all  by  the  mission  at  its  annual  meeting.  His  estimates 
will  often  be  curtailed,  or  even  cut  off.  Many  a  fond  plan 
may  be  nipped  in  the  bud,  either  because  it  is  deemed  un- 
wise, or  because  there  is  not  money  enough  to  go  round 
and  the  less  important  must  wait.  There  will  be  many  les- 
sons to  be  learned  in  this  respect,  much  discipline  to  be  en- 
dured. But  harmony  and  co-operation  are  even  more  es- 
sential abroad  than  at  home. 


150  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

Missionaries  Lave  mutual  relations  with  each  other,  aris- 
ing from  the  peculiarities  of  mission  work,  which  do  not 
exist  between  incumbents  at  home.  The  leading  idea  at 
home  is,  or  at  least  often  seems  to  be,  that  each  parish 
minister  should  work  up  his  own  sphere  of  labor  according 
to  his  judgment,  and  that  there  should  be  no  interference 
in  the  work  of  brother  incumbents.  The  leading  idea  in 
the  mission  field  is  that  all  the  brethren  within  a  district 
of  reasonable  size  should  regard  themselves  as  partners  in 
the  work,  carrying  the  division  of  labor  no  further  than  con- 
venience may  require,  and  without  violating  the  principle 
of  combined  action,  which  should  be  prominently  written 
over  the  gateway  of  every  mission. 

There  is  too  much  work  on  hand  to  allow  men  much 
time  to  quarrel  about  theology.  But  there  arise  in  every 
mission  vital  issues  which  cause  great  differences  of  opin- 
ion. Conflicting  methods  sometimes  bring  serious  dissen- 
sions and  almost  rend  a  mission  asunder.  One  party  ad- 
vocates continual  enlargement  with  liberal  use  of  foreign 
money ;  the  other  party  wishes  to  avoid  the  use  of  subsi- 
dies from  home  and  leave  development  largely  to  the  na- 
tive church.  One  party  thinks  educational  work  far  the 
most  important;  another  considers  it  a  diversion  of  funds 
and  advocates  extensive  evangelization.  Some  would  do 
great  things  at  the  centres  in  the  cities ;  others  find  coun- 
try work  both  cheaper  and  more  fruitful.  The  work  is  so 
closely  connected  that  harmony  must  be  reached.  Blessed, 
then,  are  the  peacemakers  and  the  peace-keepers  ! 

Still  more  closely  is  the  missionary  bound  up  in  personal 
relations  with  his  brethren.  Alone  in  a  foreign  land  and  in 
the  midst  of  heathenism — the  common  foe  on  which  they 
are  making  a  united  attack — men  are  much  more  thrown 


Entrance  into  Work  151 

upon  one  another  than  they  can  be  at  home.  But  the  pe- 
culiar character  of  their  work,  the  habits  of  dominance  that 
are  engendered  by  intercourse  with  an  inferior  race,  the 
protracted  isolation  from  his  countrymen  which  is  often  a 
missionary's  lot,  and  the  personal  eccentricities  which  are 
thereby  developed — all  these  things  make  fraternal  inter- 
course often  exceedingly  difficult.  In  a  central  station 
perhaps  four  or  five  families  are  thrown  together  within 
the  same  compound,  but  a  few  steps  apart,  wholly  depend- 
ent on  one  another  for  society,  counsel,  assistance.  It  is 
a  severe  test  of  fellowship.  In  a  community  so  closely 
knit  together,  how  muclt  mischief  one  man  of  overbearing, 
quarrelsome,  or  suspicious  disposition  may  do  !  How  much 
harm  one  woman  of  petulant  temper  or  selfish  or  gossiping 
habits  may  occasion !  I  suppose  every  mission  has  its  hid- 
den scars,  where  the  work  has  been  hurt  by  the  incompati- 
bility of  some  of  its  members.  The  treasure  is  in  earthen 
vessels.  The  great  wonder  is  that  with  such  feeble  instru- 
ments as  we  find  ourselves  to  be  so  much  can  be  accom- 
plished. But  it  is  just  by  these  tests  that  some  of  the 
grandest  men  have  been  developed.  As  a  dear  friend  in 
the  field  said  to  me,  "  If  missions  never  accomplished  any- 
thing more  than  the  discipline  they  give  the  missionaries, 
they  could  be  regarded  as  abundantly  fruitful  "  ;  and  I  have 
never  seen  anything  more  suggesting  the  society  of  heaven 
than  certain  mission  communities.  The  common  purpose, 
the  common  life,  and  the  common  faith  had  woven  their 
lives  together  into  a  richer  fabric  than  any  of  the  precious 
oriental  silks. 

There  is  also  a  relation  to  the  adjoining,  sometimes  over- 
lapping, missions.  As  a  rule,  too  little,  I  think,  is  known  of 
the  operations  of  other  societies.     There  are  often  serious 


152  Modern  Missions  in  the  Ecist 

questions  of  comity,  in  matters  of  extension  and  discipline, 
which  require  careful  judgment  for  their  decision.  Some 
societies  are  more  fraternal,  others  more  exclusive  and  in- 
trusive. The  main  difficulty  occurs  in  large  cities.  But 
there  mission  prayer-meetings  and  conferences  bring  men 
of  the  various  societies  together  on  a  platform  of  mutual 
acquaintance  and  common  worship  which  greatly  facilitates 
the  settlement  of  such  questions. 

3.  There  is  a  third  relation  to  which  little  thought  is  usual- 
ly given  at  home.  It  is  that  to  other  European  residents  or 
visitors.  There  are  few  places  where  some  of  this  class 
are  not  to  be  met.  Merchants,  diplomats,  and  missionaries 
are  usually  found  together.  In  some  places,  like  Seoul,  the 
capital  of  Corea,  and  Peking,  China,  the  diplomats  and  mis- 
sionaries, being  almost  the  only  foreign  residents,  are  quite 
intimately  thrown  together.  The  ports  of  Japan  and  China 
abound  in  foreign  merchants,  and  there  are  many  foreigners 
in  the  employ  of  those  governments.  India  is  full  of  Eng- 
lish officials,  civil  and  military,  while  Turkey  is  the  border 
country  where  the  occidental  wave  sweeps  in  upon  the  Ori- 
ent. Besides  this  there  are  some  50,000  English  soldiers 
in  India,  and  European  sailors  swarm  into  every  port  all 
round  the  world.  There  are  English  and  American  officers 
on  Chinese  and  Japanese  steamers ;  there  are  visiting  men- 
of-war  from  the  American  and  European  fleets.  There  are 
tourists  of  one  kind  and  another  continually  looking  in  on 
the  most  accessible  ports. 

Now  to  all  these  the  missionary  must  and  should  have 
some  relation,  especially  to  the  resident  part  of  them.  These 
are  people  of  our  own  race  and  faith,  usually  of  our  own 
tongue.  They  are  set  out  in  a  foreign  land,  under  circum- 
stances  of  peculiar   spiritual  destitution   and  of  peculiar 


Entrance  into  Work  153 

temptation.  They  certainly  have  great  claims  on  the  mis- 
sionary. They  arc  nominal  Christians.  As  such  they  must 
prove  a  blessing  or  a  curse  to  mission  work.  Far  more  nu- 
merous and  widely  known  than  missionaries,  they  are  nat- 
urally taken  as  representatives  of  Christianity.  Only  too 
often  they  are  misrepresentatives.  Unconsciously  they  be- 
come the  great  stumbling-blocks.  Nominal  European 
Christians  in  a  heathen  land  are  too  frequently  like  a  ship 
sunk  in  the  Suez  Canal,  blocking  the  way.  Often  con- 
sciously they  show  themselves /oe*  of  the  work.  Sometimes 
the  missionary  is  in  their  way.  He  is  a  silent  rebuke  to 
their  life,  perhaps  an  obstacle  to  the  success  of  some  of 
their  schemes.  I  know  of  slanderous  stories  agrainst  mis- 
sions  which  find  only  too  easy  an  explanation  in  the  ex- 
posure made  of  swindling  schemes  of  foreign  merchants  by 
missionaries,  drawn  in  altogether  unwillingly  to  give  their 
candid  judgment — maybe  as  to  the  proper  price  of  pig-iron 
— for  the  protection  of  native  officials  and  merchants. 

But  in  this  same  class  are  men  who  have  become  great 
friends  and  helpers  in  the  work.  "  If  all  Englishmen  lived 
such  lives  as  Donald  McLeod,"  said  a  Hindu,  "  India  would 
soon  be  a  Christian  country."  The  missions  in  the  Punjab 
were  started  by,  and  have  been  largely  sustained  through, 
such  men  as  Sir  Herbert  Edwards,  Sir  Robert  Montgomery, 
and  the  two  Lawrences.  An  old  Indian  civilian,  last  of  all 
Commissioner  at  Amritsar,  resigned  his  post  not  very  long 
ago  to  become  honorary — i.e.,  unsalaried — missionary  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society.  The  Marathi  mission  is  in  re- 
ceipt not  only  of  money  but  of  personal  help  from  certain 
English  officials.  Every  central  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  India  has  its  large  corresponding  com- 
mittee, composed  of  friends  of  the  society  residing  in  the 


154  Modern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

vicinity.  These  men — English  officials,  merchants,  diplo- 
mats—are a  great  support  to  the  whole  work.  None  can  do 
so  much  for  or  against  missions. 

Soldiers  and  sailors  must  be  gathered  under  the  wing  of 
the  gospel.  I  do  not  undertake  to  say  how  this  work  can 
best  be  done.  If  the  church  at  home  and  the  missions 
abroad  will  only  recognize  and  assume  the  responsibility 
for  their  exiled  and  wandering  countrymen  they  will  be 
guided  to  the  wisest  course. 

I  look  back  with  special  pleasure  on  the  Sailors'  Homes 
in  Yokohama  and  Han-Kow,  in  Bombay  and  Smyrna  and 
Constantinople,  and  I  am  glad  to  testify  to^  the  good  work  I 
found  done  among  the  soldiers  and  sailors  in  India  by  the 
Salvation  Army. 

4.  There  is  another  still  more  neglected  class.  I  mean 
the  Eurasians^  those  people  of  mixed  European  and  Asiatic 
parentage,  a  large,  peculiar,  and  dangerous  population,  tow- 
ards whom  we  owe  compensation  for  the  vices  of  our 
countrymen.  There  are  in  India  300,000  English-speaking 
nominal  Christians,  either  European  or  Eurasian.  In  Cal- 
cutta alone  are  more  than  10,000  Europeans  and  Eurasians; 
in  southern  India  30,000  Eurasians  (census  1871),  fifty  per 
cent,  of  whom  were  Protestants.  In  many  respects  the  two 
constitute  one  class.  It  is  a  very  sad  fact  that  mission 
work  is  hardest  and  most  barren  in  just  those  fields  where 
it  encounters  most  Europeans.  That  fact  enables  one  to 
comprehend  the  remark  of  an  intelligent  Hindu  made  to  a 
visitor  in  India :  "  It  is  not  more  Christianity  that  we  want 
in  this  land,  but  more  Christians."  "  When  you  return 
home  by  the  Isthmus  of  Suez,"  said  an  excellent  French 
priest  whom  I  met  in  Kobe,  "you  will  find  more  religion 
lying  along  the  banks  of  the  Suez  Canal  than  you  ever  saw 


Entrance  into  Work  155 

in  one  place  in  your  life."  "How  can  that  be?"  was  my 
amazed  response.  ''  Why,  all  the  Europeans  who  come  out 
here  take  off  their  religion  as  they  pass  through  and  leave 
it  on  the  banks,  where  it  lies  till  they  go  back  and  put  it 
on  again."  But  a  change  is  going  on.  I  have  heard  of 
one  English  government  station  where  there  was  for  a  long 
time  nothing  to  distinguish  the  Sabbath  from  the  week- 
day but  the  flag  flying  from  the  citadel.  England  is  aroused 
on  this  subject,  and  is  sending  chaplains  and  special  mis- 
sionaries to  minister  to  these  classes  of  people.  I  found 
Dr.  Chester  holding  an  English  service  for  such  residents 
every  Sunday  evening  at  Dindigul.  "  It  is  only  recreation," 
he  said.  Bishop  William  Taylor,  as  we  have  seen,  has 
shown  by  his  special  missions  in  India  that  Europeans  and 
Eurasians  may  be  gathered  into  self-supporting  and  evan- 
gelizing churches.  The  Eurasians  in  India  have  held  im- 
portant government  positions,  though  they  are  now  being 
crowded  out  by  educated  Hindus.  But  they  must  have 
some  important  and  atoning  part  to  take  in  the  evangeliza- 
tion of  India.  They  are  inured  to  the  climate,  acquainted 
with  the  vernaculars,  familiar  with  Hinduism,  bound  to  an 
hereditary  Christianity,  and  more  or  less  instructed  in  it. 
Though  lacking  independence  and  firmness  of  character, 
they  might  often  be  employed  as  assistants.  Many  women 
are  thus  used  for  Zenana  work.  A  Eurasian  ministry  should 
be  raised  up  for  Eurasian  churches ;  each  mission  must  de- 
termine its  own  attitude  to  these  classes,  which  may  be 
rendered  hostile  or  auxiliary  to  the  great  work. 

5.  Most  prominent  of  all,  of  course,  are  the  relations  into 
which  the  new-comer  is  brought  with  those  whom  he  has 
come  to  seek — the  native  populations,  corrupt  Christians, 
Mohammedans,  pagans,  as  the  case   may  be.     The  direct 


156  Modern  3Iissio)is  in  the  East 

labor  among  these  people  will  occupy  other  chapters.     I 
speak  now  of  the  personal  and  social  relations  to  them. 

Under  this  head  may  be  included  one's  relations  to — 

(«)  Heathen  customs  and  religions. 

{b)  Heathen  rulers  and  officials. 

(c)  Heathen  neighbors. 

[d)  Native  Christians  and  churches. 

(a)  A  question  which  will  press  heavily  on  one  looking  to 
the  work  of  foreign  missions,  and  which  greatly  occupies  the 
Christian  public  at  large,  is,  "  What  attitude  shall  the  mis- 
sionary assume  towards  heathen  customs  and  religions  ?"  It 
is  not  possible  to  give  any  full  discussion  to  the  question 
in  this  place,  but  there  are  a  few  considerations  which  may 
be  offered  as  preparing  the  way  for  a  decision. 

(1)  It  should  be  remembered  that  this  is  not  at  all  a 
new  question,  but  as  old  as  Christianity  itself.  In  contrast 
with  the  exclusive  attitude  of  Judaism,  which  acknowledged 
no  relations  with  other  religions,  Christianity,  by  its  claim 
to  be  the  "universal  religion,"  enters  into  relations  with  them 
all.  The  question  how  far  any  and  all  of  them  are  prepar- 
atory and  prophetic,  how  far  obstructive  and  antagonistic, 
and  the  question  how  far  Christianity  is  complementary 
and  comprehensive  of  them  all  as  partial,  or  contradictory 
and  exclusive  of  them  all  as  false,  assumes  at  once  the 
greatest  importance.  Both  exegesis  and  church  history, 
therefore,  must  be  made  to  pay  tribute  to  the  missionary. 
The  attitude  of  the  early  fathers  and  apologists  and  mis- 
sionaries will  be  found  most  instructive,  especially  such 
contrasts  as  are  afforded  by  Justin,  Clement  of  Alexandria, 
Tertullian,  and  Origen.  The  instructions  of  Pope  Gregory 
the  Great  to  the  missionaries  in  England,  and  the  history  of 


Entrance  into  Work  157 

Roman  Catholic  contests  in  China  respecting  ancestor  wor- 
ship, should  all  be  studied.  It  may  appear  that  no  one  at- 
titude represents  the  whole  truth,  and  that  it  will  only  be 
when  Christianity  shall  have  recapitulated  or  gathered  up 
into  itself  all  things  that  it  can  tell  what  part  each  religion 
has  played  in  the  work. 

(2)  The  history  of  the  propaganda  of  other  great  religions 
should  also  be  studied.  In  Hinduism  and  Buddhism  we  have 
the  example  of  comprehensive,  in  Mohammedanism  of  ex- 
clusive, mission  work.  Hinduism  and  Buddhism  have  swal- 
lowed everything  about  them  except  one  another  and  Islam, 
and  in  these  cases  the  repulsion  has  been  reciprocal.  These 
are  most  instructive  lessons  in  the  results  of  each  policy. 

(3)  The  actual  practice  of  heathen  religions  should  be 
studied  as  well  as  their  sacred  books.  Usually  the  heathen 
are  worse  than  their  books,  though  sometimes  they  are  bet- 
ter. At  any  rate,  it  is  with  living  Hinduism  and  Buddh- 
ism, with  living  India  and  China  and  Turkey  of  to-day  that 
we  have  to  do,  rather  than  with  any  earlier,  perhaps  purer, 
forms.  Read  Mohini's  translation  of  the  Bhagavad  Gita — 
the  best  of  all  Indian  books  ;  but  read,  also,  Wilkins's  Mod- 
ern Hinduism — a  plain  statement  of  existing  practices. 

With  every  disposition  to  recognize  whatever  of  truth 
and  good  may  be  found  in  the  great  oriental  religions,  I 
have  been  more  and  more  led  to  the  conviction  that  it  will 
rather  harm  than  help  our  cause  to  minimize  the  differences 
between  Christianity  and  any  other  religion.  If  we  make 
the  differences  slight,  and  say  to  men,  "  You  have  but  to 
come  a  little  further,  get  a  little  more,  and  you  will  be  Chris- 
tians," one  of  two  things  will  surely  follow.  Either — and 
this  will  be  at  present  most  frequently  the  case  in  India  and 
China — the  one  appealed  to  will  respond,  "  If  the  difference 


158  Modern  Missioois  in  the  East 

is  slight,  since  the  change  to  me  will  be  so  great  in  leaving 
my  ancestral  faith  and  encountering  certain  persecution,  I 
will  take  the  chances  and  stay  where  I  am."  Or — and  this 
would  more  frequently  happen  in  Japan — he  will  say,  "I 
come,"  and  bring  all  his  heathenism  with  him,  presuming 
that  it  will  be  quite  consistent  with  Christianity.  The 
Japanese  are  sensitive  to-day  about  being  called  heathens, 
which  is  a  most  hopeful  sign.  But  it  will  not  make  them 
any  less  heathen  to  call  them  Christians  until  they  become 
so  through  allegiance  to  Jesus  Christ.  In  Asia,  as  in  Eu- 
rope and  America,  Christianity  is  strong,  and  is  to  remain 
so,  through  the  imperiousness  of  its  claims,  and  through 
the  absolute  assent  and  exclusive  loyalty  whicli  it  demands. 
Be  the  effect  of  other  religions  what  it  may,  whether  Juda- 
ism or  Mohammedanism  or  Hinduism,  whether  preparatory 
or  obstructive  or  both  at  once,  Christianity  treats  every  one 
of  them  as  a  usurper  on  the  throne  and  a  misleader  of  the 
human  heart  from  its  true  allegiance. 

(4)  The  great  power  of  its  claim  lies  in  the  fact  that  while 
allied  with  reason  and  humanity,  it  is  yet  super-reasonable 
and  superhuman.  Elements  of  truth  there  are  in  paganism, 
but  they  are  there  organized  into  the  service  of  falsehood. 
There  are  luminous  waves  of  light  in  every  one  of  these 
religions,  yet  they  are  polarized  and  darkened  by  other  un- 
dulations. There  is  but  one  centre,  and  only  when  men 
stand  at  the  focus  and  burning -point  of  light  does  the 
flame  kindle. 

The  work  of  Christianity  is  conquest,  not  compromise, 
and  the  missionary  of  the  cross  may  exercise  a  wise  in- 
tolerance towards  all  else  which  claims  man's  homage. 

I  cannot  do  better  than  to  quote  from  the  one  among  all 
others  perhaps  best  qualified  to  speak  on  this  subject,  one 


Entrance  into  Work  159 

who,  besides  giving  nearly  a  lialf-century  of  study  to  east- 
ern languages  and  religions,  has  of  late  repeatedly  visited 
India,  to  see  and  study  it  with  his  own  eyes.  Words  are 
the  more  important  because,  when  compared  with  utter- 
ances of  the  same  author  before  he  had  visited  India,  while 
he  knew  only  the  books,  they  show  a  marked  advance 
in  positiveness  of  tone.  They  are,  in  fact,  accompanied  by 
a  recantation  of  former  different  opinions.  They  are  the 
words  of  Sir  Monier  Williams,  Boden  Professor  of  Sanskrit 
at  Oxford.  He  had  just  held  up  the  two  statements  that 
"  A  sinless  Man  was  made  Sin  "  and  that  "  He  a  dead  and 
buried  Man  was  made  Life  "  as  unmatched  in  any  other  book 
of  any  other  religion.  "  These  non-Christian  Bibles,"  he 
says,  "  are  all  developments  in  the  wrong  direction.  They 
all  begin  with  some  flashes  of  light,  and  end  in  utter  dark- 
ness. Pile  them,  if  you  will,  on  the  left  hand  of  your  study 
table,  but  place  your  own  Holy  Bible  on  the  right  side — all 
by  itself  —  and  with  a  wide  gap  between.  ...  It  requires 
some  courage  to  appear  intolerant  in  these  days  of  flabby 
compromise  and  milk-and-water  concession.  But  I  contend 
that  the  two  unparalleled  declarations  quoted  by  me  from 
our  Holy  Bible  make  a  gulf  between  it  and  the  so-called  sa- 
cred books  of  the  East  which  severs  the  one  from  the  other 
utterly,  hopelessly,  and  forever ;  not  a  mere  rift  which  may 
be  easily  closed  up  ;  not  a  mere  rift  across  which  the  Chris- 
tian and  non-Christian  may  shake  hands  and  interchano-e  sim- 
ilar ideas  in  regard  to  essential  truths,  but  a  veritable  j^ulf 
which  cannot  be  bridged  over  by  any  science  of  religious 
thought ;  yes,  a  bridgeless  chasm  which  no  theory  of  evo- 
lution can  ever  span.  Go  forth,  then,  ye  missionaries,  in 
your  Master's  name ;  go  forth  into  all  the  world,  and  after 
studying  all  its  false  religions  and  philosophies,  go  forth  and 


160  Modern  Musions  in  the  East 

fearlessly  proclaim  to  suffering  Imraanity  the  plain,  the  un- 
changeable, the  eternal  facts  of  the  gospel  —  nay,  I  might 
almost  say  the  stubborn,  the  unyielding,  the  inexorable  facts 
of  the  gospel.  Dare  to  be  downright  with  all  the  uncom- 
promising courage  of  your  own  Bible,  while  with  it  your 
watchwords  are  love,  joy,  peace,  reconciliation.  Be  fair,  be 
charitable,  be  Christian,  but  let  there  be  no  mistake ;  let  it 
be  made  absolutely  clear  that  Christianity  cannot,  must  not, 
be  watered  down  to  suit  the  palate  of  either  Hindu,  Parsee, 
Confucianist,  Buddhist,  or  Mohammedan,  and  that  whoever 
wishes  to  pass  from  the  false  religion  to  the  true  can  never 
hope  to  do  so  by  the  rickety  planks  of  compromise,  or  by 
help  of  faltering  hands  held  out  by  half-hearted  Christians. 
He  must  leap  the  gulf  in  faith,  and  the  living  Christ  will 
spread  his  everlasting  arms  beneath  and  land  him  safely  on 
the  Eternal  Rock." 

{h)  The  missionary's  relation  to  native  rulers  and  officials 
varies  greatly  in  different  countries.  There  is  most  of  it  in 
Japan.  In  Corea  and  China  it  originates  mainly  in  medi- 
cal work.  But  however  it  may  come  the  missionary  will 
learn  to  cherish  no  great  expectations  from  simply  official 
favor  and  to  beware  of  certain  great  perils.  x\s  a  rule, 
official  life  is  still  so  corrupt  that  a  man  can  hardly  occupy 
a  high  position  and  be  a  Christian.  There  has  been  and 
will  be  great  danger  of  mere  official,  political  Christianity 
in  Japan.  And  one  must  watch  himself  lest  personal 
honors  and  emoluments  divert  him  from  his  highest  labor 
as  an  ambassador  of  Christ. 

(c)  With  heathen  neighbors  one  can  often  be  on  terms 
of  good-fellowship.  Such  intercourse  should  be  cultivat- 
ed wherever  the  Christian  character  can  be  fully  main- 
tained, for  the  argument  of  a  Christian  life  may  reach 


Entrance  into  Work  ICl 

many  a  heart  where  the  ears  are  closed  to  gospel  invita- 
tions. 

{d)  One  other  point  remains  to  be  considered:  the  relation 
of  the  missionary  to  the  native  Christians  and  churches. 
Right  here  the  beginner  encounters,  perhaps,  his  greatest 
surprise.  He  has  been  greeted  with  effusive  friendliness 
by  the  natives ;  he  sees  many  evidences  of  their  affection 
for,  as  well  as  dependence  on,  the  missionaries.  lie  does 
not  understand  how  it  could  be  otherwise,  considering  the 
benevolent  errand  on  which  they  have  come.  Yet  as  he 
gets  a  little  deeper  into  the  work  he  is  very  sure  to  encounter 
feelings,  and  that  on  both  sides,  quite  the  opposite  of  all 
this.  On  the  part  of  the  missionaries  he  will  find  that  the 
gulf  of  nationality  or  race  is  seldom  bridged  over,  and  that 
there  lingers  more  or  less  disposition  to  treat  the  natives  as 
members  of  an  alien  and  inferior  race.  In  some  countries 
the  people  are  in  a  conquered  or  dependent  position ;  in 
nearly  all  the  Christians  are  dependent,  and  he  will  feel 
that  this  has  operated  unfavorably  on  many  missionaries, 
begetting  in  them  lordly,  perhaps  overbearing  habits,  as 
constant  association  with  an  inferior  race  is  almost  sure  to 
do.  He  will  find  that  missionaries,  especially  in  China,  re- 
gard their  own  native  agents  with  frequent  suspicion.  In 
India  distrust  and  dislike  of  the  natives,  combined  with 
the  domineering  attitude  of  a  conqueror,  are  very  often 
the  English  official  attitude.  There  is  almost  no  social  in- 
tercourse between  the  official  and  native  circles,  and  the 
missionary  home  is  too  often  infected  with  the  same  spirit. 

On  the  part  of  the  native  Christians  he  will  almost  uni- 
versally detect  a  cringing  disposition,  especially  among  the 
native  paid  helpers.  The  dependent  spirit  of  the  native 
leads   to  the  mahap  (mother  -  father)  theory :  "  You,  the 


162  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

mission,  are  the  father  and  mother  of  us  all.  Everything 
shall  be  as  master  pleases."  They  recognize  their  inferior 
position,  yet  are  too  much  used  to  it,  and  too  really  de- 
pendent in  character  as  well  as  position,  to  resent  it ;  but 
when  they  enter  into  the  pay  of  the  mission  they  become 
ambitious.  The  mission  seems  to  them  a  great  wealthy  in- 
stitution. They  think  the  master  assigns  their  salaries, 
and  has  only  to  write  home  to  get  all  the  money  he  pleases. 
When  the  desired  increase  of  salary  is  refused,  they  grow 
dissatisfied  and  rebellious.  In  the  cities  of  Madras  and 
Calcutta  I  found  the  native  Christians  in  a  chronic  state  of 
discontent  and  complaint.  The  new-comer  will  be  grieved 
at  heart  by  what  he  sees.  The  matter  has  sometimes  been 
discussed  in  general  conferences,  and  once,  certainly,  in  the 
Punjab  Conference  it  came  to  a  very  bitter  outbreak  of 
the  native  pastors.  In  part  it  will  appear  that  this  unfort- 
unate state  of  things  is  necessarily  connected  with  the  em- 
ployment of  numerous  native  agents  ;  in  part  it  is  inevitable, 
from  the  relations  which  must  exist  between  a  European 
missionary  and  an  Asiatic. 

I  defer  the  conclusions  to  be  drawn  from  those  facts  to 
a  later  chapter,  and  now  only  ask  how  this  bitterness  can 
be  avoided  and  the  best,  relations  possible  maintained.  In 
Japan  the  natural  independence  of  the  people  has  defined 
these  relations  from  the  start.  The  missionaries  are  equals 
and  helpers,  not  lords.  The  troubles  prevail  most  in  China, 
India,  and  Turkey.  With  complaints  in  Turkey  we  have 
become  unfortunately  familiar.  How  can  this  be  avoided? 
For  answer  the  student  has  but  to  go  to  the  same  spot 
where  the  evils  are  found — the  mission  field.  There  are 
men  who,  so  far  as  possible,  have  abolished  all  sense  of  dif- 
ference, and  have  made  the  natives  in  every  country  feel 


Entrance  into  Work  163 

that  Christianity  unites  more  strongly  than  race  or  class 
can  separate.  One  household  in  which  I  was  a  guest  shines 
out  as  offering  a  liome  to  any  and  every  native  Christian. 
I  seldom  sat  at  that  table  without  finding  some  native 
brother  at  my  side.  In  the  breaking  of  bread  there  was 
union  of  hearts ;  yet  in  that  very  mission  fastidiousness 
and  separateness  were  once  the  custom.  My  friend  came, 
could  not  yield  to  such  narrowness,  and  adopted  the  other 
course,  despite  remonstrance.  Finally  his  example  has  told 
on  others,  and  now  prevails  in  the  mission.  I  sat  at  a 
veteran  missionary's  table  at  Madras  with  his  family  and 
six  or  eight  native  helpers,  although  this  was  the  first  time 
such  a  thing  had  occurred  in  that  family.  In  Japan  I  had 
delightful  intercourse  with  native  pastors  at  almost  every 
missionary's  table.  But  so  far  as  I  can  now  remember,  in 
my  two  months  in  China  I  never  sat  down  at  a  private  table 
with  a  Chinaman  save  once,  and  that  was  in  the  Chinaman's 
own  house  —  Ahok.  In  the  instructions  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  we  find  the  following :  "  The  mission- 
ary who  desires  to  gain  influence  and  win  souls  for  Christ 
must  thoroughly  identify  himself  with  the  people  among 
whom  he  labors." 

Now  see  how  one  of  their  missionaries  carries  out  these 
instructions.  A  guest  myself  at  his  table,  I  learned  to 
know  his  hospitality.  Bishop  Sargent,  at  the  head  of  the, 
mission  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  in  Tinnevelly, 
said :  "  It  is  not  enough  that  we  think  we  have  love  in  our 
hearts ;  we  must  show  it.  "We  have  fifty-eight  native  cler- 
gymen in  Tinnevelly,  and  I  make  it  a  rule  to  try  and  have 
every  one  of  these  men  sit  down  at  table  and  sup  with  me 
once  every  six  months.  On  the  first  occasion,  after  dinner, 
1  said,  '  We  must  allow  one  hour  for  a  few  short  speeches 


164  Modern  3Iissio7is  i)i  the  East 

from  those  who  have  anything  to  say.'  The  first  one  that 
got  up  touched  me  to  the  heart.  He  said :  '  I  see  in  the 
event  of  this  evening  a  most  powerful  argument  in  favor  of 
our  holy  religion  and  of  what  it  has  done  for  us.  Here  are 
about  fifty  men  of  various  castes  sitting  down  together  in 
peace.  Fifty  years  ago  you  might  as  well  have  expected 
to  see  fifty  royal  tigers  sitting  down  in  peace  at  the  same 
meal  as  to  see  such  a  sight  as  this.'  Besides  this,  every 
month,  in  any  district  I  visit,  I  meet  all  the  clergymen  of 
that  district  at  a  common  meal.  Every  time  a  native  min- 
ister likes  to  see  me  he,  calls  at  Palamcottah,  and  I  have  a 
servant  to  care  for  him,  and  a  room  where  he  can  stay,  and 
meals  are  provided  for  him." 

The  secret  of  the  true  relation  to  the  native  Christians  is 
love.  If  this  becomes  a  personal,  paternal,  or  fraternal  love — 
if  the  missionary  makes  them  feel  that  he  cares  for  them 
as  individuals,  he  will  not  fail  sooner  or  later  to  win  them. 

All  missionaries  need  what  Christian  Friedrich  Schwartz 
eminently  possessed — "  a  sanctified  and  vernacularized  in- 
tellect." 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE   DEPARTMENTS  OF  MISSIONARY   WORK    IN    THEIR  VARIETY 

The  variety  of  work  on  the  mission  field  is  one  of  the 
surprises  which  await  the  visitor  and  the  beginner. 

First  in  our  expectation,  tliough  not  always  first  either 
for  the  mission  or  any  missionary,  is  evangelization.  The 
seed  must  be  sown  far  and  wide;  next  a  few  converts  may 
be  hoped  for;  then  come  the  congregation  and  the  church. 

It  is  a  happy  thing  for  a  young  missionary  if,  after  a  year 
or  two  of  hard  study  of  the  language,  he  is  permitted,  in 
company  with  some  veteran,  to  enter  on  that  great  work. 

Evangelization  is  the  proclamation  of  the  gospel.  Confu- 
cius says,  "The  philosopher  need  not  go  about  to  proclaim 
his  doctrines;  if  he  has  the  truth  the  people  will  come  to 
him."  Jesus  says,  "  Go  out  into  all  the  world  and  preach 
the  gospel." 

Evangelism  may  be  either  localized  or  itinerant.  In  the 
former  case  the  proclamation  is  made  within  easy  reach  of 
the  mission-house,  and  centres  about  a  church.  In  the  lat- 
ter case  it  is  made  while  travelling  for  that  purpose,  whether 
slowly  or  rapidly.  The  important  features  connected  with 
either  of  these  forms  are : 

1,  the  facilities  for  travelling;  2,  the  place  for  preaching; 
3,  the  auxiliaries  employed ;  4,  the  persons  speaking ;  5,  the 
classes  addressed;  6,  the  argument  and  persuasion  employed. 

I  would  I  could  sketch  the  picture  of  the  evangelists  of 


166  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 


the  gospel  as  in  various  lands  I  have  seen  them  setting  forth 
upon  their  tours.  There  are  railroads  for  them  in  Japan 
and  India,  where  they,  perhaps,  ride  third-class  with  the 
natives.  The  iron  horse  is  pushing  along  in  Turkey,  and, 
like  the  fabled  camel,  has  his  nose  thrust  into  the  Chinese 
tent  for  the  space  of  a  few  miles.  All  along  the  Chinese 
coast  and  1200  miles  up  the  Yang-tzc  River  steamships  are 
plying  back  and  forth  in  every  direction. 

But  steam  can  seldom  bring  them  to  their  real  itinerating 
country-field,  so  we  see  them  taking  other  conveyances.  In 
Japan  it  is  the  basha  or  stage,  with  its  brutal  driver — whose 
beating -stick  one  finally  seizes  and  flings  away  —  or  the 
light,  skimming,  comical  jinrikisha,  or  Pull-man-car,  with  its 
one  or  two  wiry,  tireless  little  runners,  who  slip  them  along 
thirty,  forty,  or  even  fifty  miles  a  day,  over  excellent  roads, 
to  the  place  of  work.  This  jinrikisha,  the  invention  of  a 
missionary  for  the  comfort  of  his  wife,  after  having  spread 
all  through  Japan,  is  on  its  victorious  way  around  the  world. 
It  has  swept  along  the  coast  of  China,  and  intrenched  itself 
at  Singapore  and  Penang.  I  found  a  jinrikisha  company, 
limited,  just  under  way  at  Colombo,  and  have  heard  since 
of  the  arrival  of  this  oriental  bicycle  in  northern  India. 
Wherever  in  the  tropics  coolie  labor  is  common  and  roads 
are  fair,  it  has  a  sure  future.  When  next  I  visit  Egypt  I 
expect  to  find  my  comical  donkey-boys  grasping  the  shafts 
of  the  jinrikisha. 

In  China  men  jolt  over  execrable  roads  in  springless  mule- 
carts;  they  bestride  donkeys,  ponies,  or  mules,  or  they  are 
carried  in  a  chair  by  two,  three,  or  four  shouting  coolies. 
One  interesting  figure  that  rises  before  us  is  Dr.  Nevius, 
in  his  far-famed  wheelbarrow.  "  It  is  unique,"  said  the 
doctor  to  Secretary   Seward,   his  -guest.      "Yes,   and    will 


The  Departments  in  tlieir  Variety  167 

remain  so,  for  nobody  will  ever  want  another,"  was  the 
reply.  But  the  prophecy  was  false,  for  there  come  many 
requests  for  duplicates.  On  one  side  of  the  great  central 
wheel  sits  the  doctor,  on  the  other  side  his  native  helper. 
Before  them  is  a  oood-sized  box  for  their  books  and  traps, 
and  over  them  a  large  sun-umbrella.  A  coolie  behind  and 
another  in  front  hold,  balance,  and  direct  the  barrow,  while 
a  pony  ridden  by  a  third  coolie  draws  it  up  and  down 
through  holes  and  ruts  and  ditches  and  river-beds,  over 
stones  and  logs  and  obstacles  of  all  sorts,  far  into  the  interior 
of  Shantung  province. 

But  the  water-ways  are  best  in  China,  and  on  any  of  the 
great  rivers  and.  frequent  canals  we  may  see  the  missionaries, 
often  with  their  families  and  native  servants  and  helpers, 
fitting  up  the  covered  house -boat  as  a  home,  where  for 
weeks  or  even  months  they  sleep,  cook,  eat,  write,  study, 
and  receive  calls,  their  crew  meanwhile  poling,  rowing, 
dragging,  or  sailing  them  from  one  village  to  another,  as 
they  sow  their  seed  beside  all  waters.  Sometimes  they  have 
the  luxury  of  a  sail-boat,  and  I  have  even  seen  steam-yachts. 
But  of  these  the  Chinese  Government  is  suspicious,  and  they 
may  be  forbidden. 

Across  the  hot  plains  of  India  we  may  see  slowly  creeping 
the  missionary  bandy,  drawn  by  humped,  straight- horned, 
tail-twisted  bullocks,  a  covered  two-wheeled  house-cart,  where 
one  may  sleep  by  night  on  mattresses,  as  well  as  ride  by 
day  and  night.  Or  it  is  the  northern  ekka  or  tonga,  horse- 
drawn,  something  like  the  Irish  jaunting-car.  In  Turkey 
one  is  happy  if  he  can  mount  a  sure  -  footed,  hardy  Syriaa 
horse;  otherwise  —  unless,  indeed,  like  Dr.  Farnsworth,  he 
have  a  light,  strong  American  wagon  brought  straight  from 
home — lie  must  ride  in  the  Turkish  araba  or  four-wheeler, 


168  3Iodern  Missions  in  the  East 

drawn  by  horses,  perhaps  driven  by  a  Mohammedan,  who 
during  the  fast  of  Ramazan  will  neither  eat,  drink,  nor  smoke 
from  day's  dawn  to  sunset,  but  will  spend  all  the  more  time 
by  the  way  in  feeding  his  horses.  Across  the  plains  of  Bul- 
garia the  missionary  will  ride  in  the  paiton,  or  two-horse 
phaeton,  introduced  by  the  Russians. 

In  none  of  these  countries  is  there  any  real  difficulty  in 
travelling  where  one  will.  In  Turkey  the  teskireh,  or  local 
passport,  is  annoyingly  indispensable,  and  a  special  firman 
gives  one  prior  claim  to  post-horses  and  other  privileges.  In 
Japan,  too,  passports  are  required,  and  a  little  ethical  doubt 
is  involved  in  the  use  of  them.  Only  three  objects  of  travel 
outside  the  open  ports  are  recognized :  health,  science,  and 
trade.  Travelling  for  the  last  purpose  is  forbidden ;  for 
the  others  it  is  sanctioned.  Shall  such  passports  be  used  for 
mission  purposes  ?  A  late  change,  however,  expressly  recog- 
nizes missionaries. 

There  are  charming  little  inns  in  Japan,  with  poor  food, 
bad  smells,  and  a  graceful  hospitality  that  covers  all  blem- 
ishes. There  are  worse  inns  and  worse  smells,  with  better 
food  and  colder  manners,  in  China.  In  both  countries  Buddh- 
ist temples  are  sometimes  used,  as  they  commonly  have 
guest-apartments  connected  with  the  temple.  English-man- 
aged travellers'  bungalows,  with  European  food  and  Hindu 
rest-houses,  are  found  all  over  India,  while  flea-bitten  and 
filthy  khans,  with  fairly  good  food,  abound  in  Turkey.  But 
the  best  thing  of  all,  especially  in  India,  is  the  large  tent, 
which  may  be  pitched  in  a  grove  near  some  central  village. 
As  the  evangelist  may  be  out  for  months,  he  has  his  whole 
faniily  with  him,  his  books,  his  furniture,  every  provision  for 
health  and  work.  "  Day  by  day  he  sallies  forth  with  the 
message  of  peace  on  his  lips ;  he  takes  his  station  on  the 


The  Departments  in  their  Variety  169 

steps  of  some  idol  temple,  or,  it  may  be,  under  some  spread- 
ing tree ;  the  people  flock  around  and  listen  to  the  word  of 
life.  .  .  .  Partly  from  curiosity,  partly  from  desire  of  in- 
formation, numbers  of  persons  visit  the  missionary  in  his 
tent,  and  not  infrequently,  sitting-  in  the  tent  door,  he 
preaches  to  a  little  knot  of  visitors  with  more  comfort,  and, 
perhaps,  more  effect,  than  when  he  preached  in  their  viHagcs. 
His  band  of  helpers,  too,  scatters  itself  about  in  the  adjoin- 
ing villages,  and  brings  to  him  every  day  the  report  of  their 
work." 

The  variety  of  platform  from  which  he  speaks  is  as  great 
as  the  variety  of  his  travel  and  housing.  From  the  fence  of 
the  mission-compound  in  Bombay,  supported  by  a  school- 
boy choir,  he  may  address  a  motley  crowd  upon  the  side- 
walk, while  the  passing  street-car  shows  faces  all  agape  with 
curiosity  at  the  sight.  In  the  cool  of  the  morning  in  the 
same  city,  without  need  of  license  from  magistrate  —  for 
preaching  of  the  gospel  is  freer  in  Bombay  than  in  Boston — 
he  may  stand  in  an  open  square  and  proclaim  the  good  news 
to  a  few  score  of  Hindu  coolies,  with  a  sprinkling  of  Moham- 
medans, who  interrupt  from  time  to  time,  until  he  stops 
their  mouth  with  a  song.  You  may  see  him  address  more 
docile  Moslems  in  the  vestibule  of  the  native  church,  or  high- 
caste  Hindus  in  a  little  upper  room  of  their  own  dwelling. 
In  Calcutta  he  has  an  English  open-air  service  every  Sunday 
in  Beadon  Square  for  educated  Hindus — a  service  in  which 
you  may  join.  You  meet  an  old  Hindu,  who  tells  you  he 
used  to  be  a  helper  to  the  Unitarian,  Mr.  Dall,  but  is  equally 
ready  to  aid  the  Scotch  Presbyterian,  Mr.  McDonald,  or  the 
American  evangelist,  Dr.  Pentecost.  In  Madras  you  stand 
with  Mr.  Phillips,  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  under 
a  shed  just  off  the  street,  and  hear  the  Moslems  addressed 


170  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

again.  You  go  to  the  bazaars  or  market-places  and  find,  as 
at  Allahabad,  a  Presbyterian  open  chapel,  in  which  and  from 
which  the  thronging  masses  are  daily  reached.  In  Peking, 
Han-Kow,  and  Canton  are  scores  of  these  street  chapels,where 
for  four  or  five  hours  a  day  the  gospel  is  preached  or  talked 
or  sung  by  the  missionary  or  his  helper.  Merchants  and  la- 
borers drop  in  for  rest  or  from  curiosity,  hear  the  news,  and 
go  out  again  to  their  business.  At  Han-Kow,  a  great  trade 
centre,  representatives  of  nine  provinces  may  be  seen  at  such 
audiences.  The  great  Indian  melas,  or  religious  festivals, 
where  thousands  and  hundreds  of  thousands  are  often  gath- 
ered together,  give  a  remarkable  opportunity  for  preaching. 
A  crowd  is  drawn  to  any  spot,  leaflets  are  distributed,  songs 
sung,  the  difference  between  Christian  and  Hindu  worship 
explained.  In  Japan  there  are  great  theatre -meetings,  or 
some  Buddhist  temple  is  opened ;  or,  in  Turkey,  perhaps 
some  old  Christian  church.  The  tea-house  becomes  a  chapel 
in  Japan ;  the  rest-house  in  India,  the  khan  in  Turkey. 
Everywhere  private  rooms  of  inquiring  heathen  are  turned  to 
account,  while  many  audiences  are  gathered  in  the  bustee  or 
mohulla,  the  common  enclosure  of  a  group  of  families.  One 
mission  reports  twenty-two  such  places  in  Delhi,  India. 

You  may  imagine  your  substitute  abroad  talking  from  his 
gospel-boat  to  a  group  of  people  on  the  shore ;  or  marching 
with  his  helpers  through  the  main  street  of  the  village,  until, 
in  the  public  square,  he  has  drawn  a  crowd  together,  with 
whom  he  then  begins  a  conversation,  addressing  the  head 
men  first,  perhaps,  with  questions  and  answers,  until  the  talk 
becomes  general.  My  friend,  who  has  been  but  a  few  months 
in  China,  lunches  with  me  at  an  open  tea-house,  on  the  way 
to  the  Great  Wall.  As  we  finish  our  meal  he  looks  around 
for  a  moment  at  the  group  of  inquisitive  people  who  have 


The  Departmoits  in  their  Variety  171 

pressed  themselves  closely  but  not  rudely  about  us.  Then 
he  mounts  the  stone  seat,  and,  secure  in  my  ignorance  of  the 
language,  gives  his  first  gospel  talk  to  the  Chinese.  "  You 
will  be  near  the  mark,"  writes  one,  "if  you  imagine  the  gos- 
pel-messenger, in  a  straw  hat  and  pea-jacket,  sitting  on  a 
broken  wall— there  is  always  a  broken  wall  handy  in  a  vil- 
lage— or  on  a  door-step,  or  on  a  form  at  the  front  of  an  eat- 
ing-house, conversing  freely  with  a  score  of  Chinamen,  all 
of  whom,  perhaps,  bear  some  mark  of  their  occupation,  while 
a  number  of  boys  in  very  scant  clothing  thrust  themselves 
to  the  front,  and  a  few  women  linger  at  a  distance,  just  be- 
yond the  range  of  hearing." 

In  fact,  there  is  hardly  a  place,  open  or  covered,  where 
the  proclamation  is  not  made.  House,  tent,  shed,  shop,  the- 
atre, and  temple ;  train,  boat,  car,  chair,  and  saddle ;  tea- 
house, inn,  khan,  and  bungalow  ;  street,  square,  field,  lane, 
and  grove — all  places  are  made  to  ring  with  the  gospel-call 
by  the  helmeted,  coated,  trousered,  booted,  bearded,  white- 
faced  European,  everywhere  the  symbol  of  advancing  power 
and  life. 

There  are  various  auxiliaries.  The  Mason  <fe  Hamlin 
organ  ;  the  baby-organ,  which  can  be  folded  up  and  carried 
under  the  arm ;  the  accordion  ;  the  violin,  or  native  instru- 
ments, wind  and  stringed,  and  drums.  The  magic-lantern 
and  stereopticon  draw  a  crowd  anywhere.  Native  bhajans, 
strange  weird  lyrics,  are  chanted,  whose  echoes  still  linger  in 
ray  ears.  Sankey's  songs  are  sung  and  liked  all  round  the 
world.  A  song  tells  its  story  and  wins  its  way  in  all  coun- 
tries. The  native  evangelists  sing  their  effective  kirtans,  or 
musical  recitation  of  some  Bible  story,  accompanied  and  in- 
terrupted by  their  own  strange  instruments,  and  varied  by 
spoken  appeals  and  applications.     I  have  seen  Hindus  sit  for 


172  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

hours  spellbound  by  such  preaching.  The  head  man  of  a 
heathen  village  once  complained  to  Narayan  Sheshadri  about 
his  agent:  "If  your  people  do  not  come  at  the  appointed 
time  to  sing  and  preach  to  us,  we  won't  stand  it ;  we'll  re- 
port them  at  headquarters."  He  was  a  Hindu.  In  China 
custom  sanctions  pasting  tracts  on  the  walls  in  conspicu- 
ous places.  I  do  not  know  whether  a  suit  of  Chinese  clothes 
with  long  pigtail  could  be  counted  an  auxiliary,  but  many 
missionaries  in  the  interior  of  China  find  the  costume  a  re- 
lief and  a  help,  even  the  ladies  often  adopting  it.  It  pre- 
vents much  intrusive  curiosity  on  the  part  of  those  who  have 
never  seen  woollen  goods  or  foreign  patterns,  and  the  mis- 
sionary is  not  so  apt  to  be  interrupted  in  his  discourse  by 
a  question  as  to  the  price  of  the  cloth  he  wears.  Some, 
however,  court  this  very  curiosity  excited  by  foreign  ap- 
parel. 

The  persons  speaking  may  be  foreigners  or  natives.  The 
union  of  the  two  is  best.  Mr.  Jones,  of  Madura,  has  a  band 
of  trained  men  who  divide  the  city  between  them.  They 
spend  an  evening  with  him  in  planning  their  work ;  then 
they  sally  forth  in  separate  bands  and  do  it.  The  European 
has  judgment,  experience,  prestige,  and  executive  ability  ; 
the  native  has  the  advantage  of  nativity,  and  is  often  the 
more  effective  speaker;  but  a  novice  in  the  work  will  soon 
find  the  need  of  the  help  of  a  veteran. 

Great  account  should  be  made  of  the  variety  of  persons 
addressed.  It  is  not  enough  to  be  prepared,  in  general,  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  the  heathen.  If  Paul  became  a  Jew 
to  the  Jew,  a  Greek  to  the  Greek,  the  evangelist  is  to  take 
care  lest  he  be  a  Jew  to  the  Greek,  a  Greek  to  the  Jew,  or 
a  Chinaman  to  a  Hindu.  The  gospel  is  not  the  same  thing 
to  a  Moslem  and  a  Buddhist ;  to  a  Pariah  and  a  Brahmin ; 


The  Departments  in  their  Variety  173 

to  the  educated  citizen  and  the  villager.  Adaptiveness  is 
the  great  need.  The  very  words  vvhicli  will  carry  convic- 
tion to  the  heart  of  one  class  will  be  quite  misunderstood 
by  another.  The  arguments  by  which  one  is  met  in  the 
country  are  totally  different  from  those  expressed  in  the 
city.  In  the  villages  of  India  the  people  are  mad  upon  their 
idols,  enslaved  by  caste,  worshipping  Brahmins  as  deities. 
The  missionary  is  met,  says  Vaughn,  "by  arguments  which 
astound  and  sadden  him.  It  is  admitted  that  the  gods  were 
what  we  call  vicious  and  corrupt,  but,  being  gods,  they  could 
do  what  they  liked  and  were  accountable  to  no  one,  while 
the  very  prowess  of  their  lusts  made  them  objects  of  vener- 
ation to  feebler  creatures.  The  wickedness  of  their  worship- 
pers is  admitted,  but  either  all  is  maya  (illusion),  or,  if  there 
be  individualities,  it  is  Brahma  who  moves  within  them, 
and  prompts  all  they  think,  say,  or  do.  In  the  city  all  this 
is  changing.  Rationalism  is  replacing  this  gross  pantheism, 
and  the  presentation  of  Christianity  must  vary  accordingly." 
It  is  important,  therefore,  to  have  men  trained  for  special 
work  with  each  class — the  Buddhists  of  Japan,  Confucian- 
ists  of  China,  and  Hindus  of  the  great  cities — while  others 
should  fit  themselves  for  the  Mohammedan  controversy. 
Here  and  there  one  may  be  found  able  to  be  all  things  to 
all  men.  The  Scudders  are  examples  of  this  universal  tal- 
ent. So  also  is  Cyrus  Hamlin,  who  wrought  such  wonders 
in  the  introduction  of  new  industries  among  the  Armenians. 
What  methods  of  speech,  argument,  and  inducement 
should  be  used?  Knowledge  of  the  people  must  decide; 
of  their  language,  customs,  religions,  and  character.  It  is 
a  common  practice  to  keep  what  is  called  a  bazaar-book,  in 
which  new  words  and  phrases,  apt  figures,  and  telling  points 
are  noted  down.     There  is  a  growinjT  ao-reeraent  to  avoid 


174  Modern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

controversy.  Bat  the  best  way  to  avoid  it  is  to  be  ready 
for  it.  "I  advise  you  to  study  the  native  religions,"  said  a 
distinguished  Indian  missionary  (Stephen  Hislop),  "not  that 
you  may  set  yourself  to  the  hopeless  task  of  lopping  off  ev- 
ery twig  and  branch  of  the  upas-tree  of  error,  which  sheds 
its  baneful  influence  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  land,  but  that  you  may  clearly  distinguish  between  the 
branches  and  the  stump,  and  lay  the  axe  at  the  root  of  the 
tree." 

But  to  all  such  knowledge  of  the  evangelist  must  be  added 
moral  traits — patience,  good-humor,  a  love  for  fair  play, 
above  all,  a  love  for  souls.  He  will  talk  with  his  hearers, 
plead  with  them,  pierce  their  conscience,  melt  their  hearts, 
rather  than  merely  harangue  them  and  reason  with  them. 

One  great  question  in  regard  to  evangelization  has  been, 
"Shall  it  be  diffused  or  concentrated,  far  or  near,  fast  or 
slow,  long  or  short?"  The  tendency  at  first  has  been  to 
"  long,  rather  aimless  tours,  with  short  stops,  into  far  distant 
regions.  The  visit  to  each  place  was  rare,  the  work  not  fol- 
lowed up,  the  fruit  small."  "The  itinerating  missionary," 
said  Bishop  Sargent,  "  is  too  often  like  a  comet,  and  the  vil- 
lagers like  astronomers  watching  for  it.  The  comet  some- 
times returns  once  in  two  and  a  half  years,  sometimes  not  at 
all."  We  went  one  day  to  a  village  in  southern  India,  where 
the  people  listened  with  respectful  attention.  At  the  close 
one  man  came  forward  who  said  he  wanted  to  know  more 
about  Christ,  but  he  should  not  see  the  missionary  again  for 
a  year,  and  could  not  read.  How  was  he  to  know  ?  It  was 
promised  that  a  catechist  should  speedily  revisit  the  village. 

Missionaries  nowadays  attempt  less.  They  spend  a  week 
or  two  in  a  place,  and  return  frequently  to  the  same  spot. 
The  sown  seed  is  watched,  the  ripening  harvest  garnered. 


The  Deparir)\ents  in  their  Variety  175 

At  the  same  time  there  are  occasional  tentative  excursions  to 
explore,  diffuse,  gather  in.  Most  unexpected  fruit  often  ap- 
pears. 

Mr.  Tucker,  the  leader  of  the  Salvation  Army  in  India,  re- 
cently told  Mr.  Jones,  of  Madura,  that  they  have  practically 
abandoned  the  diffusive  policy,  as  it  brought  no  lasting  effects, 
and  are  concentrating  their  labor  on  a  few  places,  and  pro- 
longing their  work  with  a  view  to  abiding  results.  "  No  mis- 
sion," adds  Mr.  Jones,  "  has  ever  prospered  by  simple  evan- 
gelizing. It  is  the  earliest  work  of  a  missionary,  but  it  is  the 
discipling  that  brings  the  permanent  results,  and  has  given 
to  missions  their  monumental  success." 

There  is  no  more  important  work  in  the  field  than  evan- 
gelization. Too  often,  especially  in  the  large  cities,  it  is  put 
into  the  background.  But  the  country  people  can  be  reached 
only  by  the  evangelist.  Neither  rural  nor  city  work  can,  as 
a  rule,  be  left  for  its  initiation  to  the  hands  of  natives.  The 
weak  point  of  the  Oriental  is  lack  of  organizing  and  executive 
skill.  The  controlling  mind  of  a  European  will  be  needed 
back  of  all  evangelistic  work  for  a  long  time  to  come.  But 
an  experienced  missionary  will  know  how  to  keep  a  large 
number  of  native  helpers  at  work. 

Evangelists  are  often  forced  to  say,  "  \Ye  have  seen  little 
or  no  fruit  from  all  our  labors."  Mr.  Ragland,  who  had  for 
four  years  been  conducting  special  evangelistic  work  in  North 
Tinnevelly,  with  two  associates  and  a  large  corps  of  native 
assistants,  said  at  the  South  India  Conference,  at  Ootaca- 
mund,  in  1858 :  "The  apparent  fruits  of  our  preaching  have 
as  yet  been  very  small.  We  can  count  up  about  500  per- 
sons who  expressed  a  desire  to  learn  Christianity,  but,  with 
a  very  few  exceptions,  all  sooner  or  later  drew  back.  Yet 
we  trust  that  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  our  converts 


176  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

will  be  multiplied  manifold."  At  tlie  South  India  Confer- 
ence in  1879,  twenty-one  years  later,  Bishop  Sargent  was 
able  to  say  of  these  same  evangelists,  "  When  they  entered 
this  work  at  first  there  were  only  1000  converts;  now  there 
are  40,000,  and  all  owing  to  the  efforts  of  these  men." 

1-  The  department  which  appears  as  the  rival  of  evangelism, 
the  most  discussed,  criticised,  abused,  yet  always  increasing 
fastest  and  claiming  most,  is  that  of  education.  It  is  cer- 
tainly the  most  conspicuous  work  on  the  field. 

Evangelistic  work  is  intermittent,  often  impracticable  for 
half  the  year;  educational  work  is  continuous,  making  its 
claims  every  day.  The  one  is  desultory  ;  the  other  regular. 
The  one  is  large  in  its  demands  on  knowledge  and  experi- 
ence; the  other  is  limited  in  those  demands.  Evangelism  is 
little  sought  for  and  coolly  received;  education  is  eagerly 
sought.  The  former  breaks  up  home  life  and  takes  one  all 
abroad  ;  the  latter  keeps  one  anchored  at  home.  The  re- 
sults of  evangelism  are  uncertain  and  long  concealed  ;  the 
results  of  education,  if  not  always  the  highest,  are  sure  and 
conspicuous,  while  the  imposing  buildings  of  the  latter  pre- 
sent a  striking  contrast  to  the  simple  apparatus  of  the  evan- 
gelist. No  wonder  that  schools  rank  high  in  the  reports  of 
visitors  and  inspectors,  while  itinerancy  makes  little  show 
and  is  often  neglected. 

Logically,  evangelism  always  precedes  education ;  histori- 
cally, it  must  often  follow.  The  first  work  to  which  our  mis- 
sionaries at  Harpoot  set  themselves  was  to  teach  the  people 
the  alphabet.  Then  they  taught  them  the  gospel.  It  was 
Christianity  based  on  the  alphabet.  If  we  cannot  begin  where 
we  would,  we  must  begin  where  we  can.  The  proper  start- 
ing-point is  the  point  of  opportunity.     It  frequently  hap- 


The  Departments  in  their  Variety  177 

pens  that  the  gunboat  is  tlie  first  evangelist,  heralding  to  a 
terrified  people  the  advent  of  a  mightier  civilization  than 
they  have  known.  The  response  is  an  eager  desire  to  get 
hold  of  western  science,  language,  industry,  and  mechanism. 
The  more  they  long  to  get  rid  of  the  hated  foreigners,  the 
quicker  must  they  master  their  arts.  Then  comes  the  call 
for  schools  and  foreign  teachers.  No  gunboat  can  beat  down 
the  wall  of  religious  prejudice,  but  the  school  leads  into  the 
temple,  and  if  Christian  teachers  are  first  on  the  ground,  long 
before  evangelism  is  permitted  they  may  reach  the  hearts  of 
the  people  through  their  minds  and  bodies. 

This  has  actually  been  the  course  of  events  in  Japan  and 
Corea.  It  has  been,  and  is,  the  order  in  many  sections  of 
every  mission  field.  We  may  not  say,  "  First  civilize,  then 
Christianize,"  nor  may  we  always  say  the  reverse.  Our  aim 
is  to  reach  the  heart  and  conscience  in  the  quickest,  surest 
way.  If  the  straight  road  is  closed  we  must  take  any  ac- 
cessible way,  though  longer.  When  the  blizzard  piles  the 
drifts  and  snaps  the  wires  between  Boston  and  New  York, 
the  Hub  signals  the  metropolis  through  Manchester,  Rut- 
land, and  Albany,  or  even  with  a  double  sub-oceanic  passage 
via  London.  It  is  then  not  only  the  shortest,  it  is  the  only 
route.  It  is  the  same  with  the  soul.  The  point  is  to  get 
there  by  whatever  road.  My  friend  Dr.  Kitchen,  of  Tokio, 
spent  one  year  as  secular  teacher  in  Mr.  Fukuzawa's  school, 
asking  simply  the  privilege  of  meeting  his  students  in  a 
voluntary  Bible-class  outside  of  school  hours.  The  result 
was  that  at  the  end  of  the  year  fifty  out  of  590  had  become 
advocates  of  Christianity,  of  whom  thirty -nine  had  joined 
the  church,  twenty  in  my  presence  organizing  themselves 
into  a  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  To  the  true  mis- 
sionary the  school  is  always  an  evangelistic  field. 

12 


178  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

This  is  the  way  in  which  the  educational  work  grows. 
The  gospel  is  light ;  light  on  the  Word  as  well  as  in  the  life. 
First  of  all,  the  converts  must  be  taught  to  read  the  Word  of 
God  for  themselves.  Here,  at  the  start,  the  evangelical  mis- 
sion strikes  down  one  of  the  most  common  and  darkening 
errors  of  all  false  religions — the  doctrine  of  the  inaccessibil- 
ity and  unintelligibility  of  the  sacred  writings.  All  who  hear 
the  gospel  message  must  be  able  to  read  it.  Hence  at  once 
a  care  for  primary  education.  Whether  in  the  zenana,  the 
rest-house,  or  the  mission-compound,  there  must  be  an  ele- 
mentary school. 

But  so  much  only  calls  for  more.  If  Christian  scholars  and 
Bible-readers  are  to  be  multiplied,  missionaries  cannot  possi- 
bly supply  the  demand.  Native  Christians  must  be  trained 
to  the  work  who  can  be  put  on  small  salaries  in  every  spot 
where  they  are  needed,  following  in  the  track  of  the  evange- 
list.  For  such  teachers  there  must  be  training  or  normal 
schools.  In  India  "  The  Christian  Vernacular  Education  So- 
ciety" and  one  or  two  other  societies  exist  for  this  special 
object. 

But  not  only  teachers  are  needed  ;  there  must  be  male  and 
female  Bible-readers  who  can  do  evangelistic  work  ;  catechists 
who  can  care  for  the  first  converts  in  each  community  be- 
fore it  has  grown  into  a  church ;  evangelists  who  can  more 
and  more  assume  the  itinerating  work  ;  preachers  and  pastors 
who  can  train  their  own  people,  organize  the  work,  and  thus 
lift  the  increasing  responsibility  from  the  shoulders  of  the 
missionary,  leaving  him  free  to  supervise  the  old  and  push  on 
the  new  work.  In  a  word,  a  native  ministry  of  all  classes 
and  orders  must  be  trained,  some  requiring  a  brief  and 
simple  education,  others  one  that  is  long  and  full.  Thus 
there  spring  up  training-schools,  high-schools,  colleges,  sem- 


The  Departments  in  their  Variety  179 

inarics,  universities.  Soon  appears  a  second  generation  of 
Cliristians,  and  these  cliildren  have  the  same  claim  on  the 
churcli  for  a  broad  education  that  our  cliildren  at  home  have. 
Like  the  church  here,  the  mission  there  responds  with  board- 
ing-schools and  more  colleges  for  boys  and  girls,  quite  apart 
from  any  special  aim  they  may  have  towards  the  ministry. 
Thus  the  simple  training-school  is  differentiated  into  a  com- 
plete group  of  educational  institutions. 

Yet  this  is  not  all.  Many  homes  are  quickest  entered 
through  the  children.  Heathen  parents  who  will  not  heed 
the  gospel  will  often  send  their  children  to  a  mission  school. 
The  children  are  easily  won,  and  always  take  something  of 
Christianity  to  their  homes.  The  school  becomes  their  evan- 
gelist and  makes  them  evangelists.  This  is  the  reason  for 
so-called  heathen  schools,  caste  schools,  or  Hindu  schools, 
as  they  are  called  in  India. 

Now  as  soon  as  the  desire  for  education  becomes  general 
— a  desire  largely  created,  always  fostered,  by  the  mission 
— other  institutions  are  established  outside — governmental, 
native,  priestly,  secular,  heathen,  as  the  case  may  be.  This 
education  tends  to  rationalism  and  scepticism,  or  reactionary 
heathenism.  Through  rival  and  patriotic  claims  and  bor- 
rowed tools  it  competes  with,  perhaps  outbids,  the  foreign 
school.  This  has  been  the  experience,  among  others,  with 
Robert  College,  at  Constantinople,  and  the  Doshisha,  at  Ki- 
oto. The  only  way  to  meet  this  opposition  is  to  keep  the 
Christian  schools  ahead  of  their  rivals,  the  teacher  always 
remaining  an  evangelizer.  That  was  the  plan  of  Dr.  Duff  in 
India ;  it  is  the  plan  of  many  to-day  in  Japan,  China,  and 
Turkey. 

Of  course  there  are  infant  schools,  kindergartens,  orphan- 
ages, girls'  schools,  industrial  schools,  Sunday-schools,  each 


180  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

with  its  own  special  place  and  work  as  a  part  of  the  great 
S3'stem  of  Christian  education  which,  as  I  trust  this  outline 
has  made  plain,  inevitably  springs  from  and  directly  contrib- 
utes to  the  evangelistic  work. 

Heathen  systems  are  based  upon,  or  interwoven  with,  con- 
ceptions of  nature,  of  history,  of  mankind,  as  false,  for  the 
most  part,  as  their  conceptions  of  God.  A  science,  history, 
philanthropy  that  are  true  will  assuredly  demolish  those  sys- 
tems. If  wielded  by  the  hand  of  the  evangelist,  instead  of 
the  secularist  or  agnostic,  or  bigot  and  pagan,  such  education 
will  as  certainly  build  up  the  kingdom  of  God  as  it  will  tear 
down  the  kingdom  of  lies. 

An  enthusiastic  educator,  like  some  of  the  men  in  Tokio 
and  Kioto,  in  Madras,  Cairo,  Beirut,  or  Constantinople,  will 
feel  that  he  holds  the  keys  of  the  future  in  his  hand.  He  is 
the  teacher  of  teachers;  the  former  of  the  thought,  the  char- 
acter, the  life,  the  society  of  those  who,  in  the  dissolution  of 
the  fabric  of  paganism,  are  to  bind  the  elements  together 
in  a  new  structure,  and  themselves  form  the  thought,  the 
character,  the  life,  and  social  units  of  a  nation.  His  school 
may  be  full  of  political  Jeffersons  and  Adamses,  of  ecclesias- 
tical Luthers  and  Calvins.  He  need  not  tour  over  the  coun- 
try. Here  in  this  one  building  is  his  one  field  for  evan- 
gelism. The  seeds  for  the  independence  of  Bulgaria  were 
sown  in  the  class-rooms  of  Robert  College. 

The  third  branch  of  mission  work  is  the  literary — for  the 
creation  of  a  Christian  literature.  Think  what  our  Christian 
literature  is  to  us;  how  many  centuries,  how  many  lives, 
how  many  labors  have  contributed  to  it!  We  shall  then 
begin  to  realize  the  work  to  be  done  for  every  land.  The 
language  itself,  or  at  least  the  written  form  of  it,  must 
often  be   created.     Romanized   characters  are  being  intro- 


The  Departments  in  their  Variety  181 

duccd  into  Japan  and  various  provinces  of  China.  Great 
and  venerable  languages,  saturated  with  paganism,  materi- 
alism, and  sensuality,  but  poorly  equipped  with  terms  for 
spiritual  and  religious  sentiments,  must  be  made  receptive 
and  expressive  of  the  new  Christian  content,  and  so  pressed 
into  the  service  of  the  Lord. 

The  homoousian  and  homoiousian  controversies  of  old 
times  can  hardly  have  caused  greater  dissensions  and  heart- 
burnings among  the  church  fathers  than  the  controversies  in 
China  as  to  the  proper  term  for  God  have  caused  among  ear- 
nest missionaries. 

The  central  and  most  creative  work  of  all  is  the  transla- 
tion of  the  Bible.  Mohammedanism  seems  never  to  have 
known  the  Bible.  Why  was  it  not  in  Arabic?  What  a 
difference  to  the  world  it  might  have  made  !  The  Nestorian 
mission  in  China  and  the  Roman  Catholic  mission  in  Japan 
could  both  be  swept  away,  because  they  gave  no  Bible.  The 
open  Bible  saved  Madagascar.  That  age-long  enterprise 
which  began,  for  us,  with  Wyckliffe  and  Tyndale,  and  has 
been  brought  to  its  latest  stage  by  the  x\nglo-American  Re- 
vision, is  to  be  undertaken  for  every  language  and  every 
principal  dialect  by  the  missionaries,  foreigners  though  they 
be.  Natives  will  assist,  revise,  and  finally  complete;  the 
missionaries  must  begin  and  direct  the  work.  The  transla- 
tion must  be  faithful,  idiomatic,  attractive,  neither  so  high 
as  to  be  above  the  common  people,  nor  so  low  as  to  lose 
dignity  and  the  respect  of  scholars.  What  call,  then,  for 
linguistic  skill,  for  exegetic  tact,  for  spiritual  sympathies! 
What  need  of  trained  minds,  of  studious,  persevering,  care- 
ful habits!  W^hat  musical  deed  was  ever  so  glorious  as  to 
seize  a  language,  the  great  organ  of  a  people,  and  by  touch- 
ing its  keys  to  make  it  sound  forth,  in  wondrous  symphony, 


183  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

from  all  its  thousands  of  pipes,  the  sublime  revelation  of 
the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ !  The  work 
of  Carey  and  his  coadjutors  at  Serampore,  and  his  succes- 
sors all  through  India  ;  of  Goodell  and  Riggs  and  Schauffler 
and  others  at  Constantinople;  of  Vandyke  and  Eli  Smith 
in  Arabic;  the  work  of  Hepburn  and  his  fellow  -  laborers 
in  Japan;  the  union  translations  in  China  —  such  achieve- 
ments as  these  would  of  themselves  justify  the  mission  en- 
terprise. 

When  I  was  in  Tinnevelly,  Bishop  Sargent  told  me  of  a 
rich  native  who  was  ready  to  give  money  to  the  Hindus  for 
founding  a  large  school  if  they  would  have  the  Bible  read 
in  it.  When  the  priests  consulted  together,  one  of  them 
said  :  "  It  is  not  the  mere  written  Word  that  can  advance 
Christianity.  Only  when  translated  into  act  has  it  power, 
so  we  need  not  fear  the  mere  reading  of  the  Bible."  But 
another  objected  :  "  That  is  not  the  case.  The  mere  printed 
Word  of  the  Bible  has  a  power  in  itself.  Who  could  read 
the  third  chapter  of  Daniel,  for  instance,  and  not  see  that 
the  Bible  treats  all  worship  of  images  as  false?"  So  the 
offer  was  rejected.  They  were  wise.  The  Bible  is  a  living 
book,  and  many  are  the  instances  where  the  simple  reading 
of  the  Word  has  brought  conviction,  conversion,  and  even 
the  forming  of  a  Christian  community. 

At  the  same  time  no  vernacular  Bible  is  satisfactory  or 
permanent  except  in  the  hands  of  a  living  church.  This  is 
clearly  shown  by  the  differing  fate  and  fruit  of  Carey's  dif- 
ferent translations,  according  as  each  was  or  was  not  com- 
mitted to  a  church.  In  China,  moreover,  the  great  Protest- 
ant cry,  "  The  Bible  without  note  or  comment,"  has  been 
dropped,  and  the  Shanghai  Conference  voted  for  an  anno- 
tated Bible. 


The  Departments  in  their  Variety  183 

Now  on  this  foundation  the  wliolo  Christian  literature  of 
many  a  people  is  to  be  reared.  All  the  apparatus  for  study- 
ing the  languages  must  be  prepared.  Then  come  trans- 
lations, compilations,  compositions  of  every  kind  of  book. 
There  must  be  text-books  for  schools  and  colleges  and  the- 
ological students;  literature  for  homes,  churches,  Sunday- 
schools,  and  the  natives.  There  is  editorial  work  to  be 
done  in  publishing  papers  and  other  periodicals.  Hymn  and 
tune  books  must  be  prepared.  Even  the  sacred  books  of 
other  religions  are  largely  translated  by  missionaries.  I  do 
not  mention  their  contributions  to  Geography,  History,  and 
Natural  Science.  "  Other  colonizers,"  says  Dr.  Oust,  "  ap- 
plying to  one  country  what  is  true  in  some  degree  of  all, 
may  have  caused  cities  to  spring  np  in  what  was  lately  a 
waste,  and  turned  virgin  prairies  into  a  garden  of  cereals, 
saccharines,  and  oils ;  but  to  the  missionaries  alone  has  it 
been  given  to  go  among  a  savage  people  who  had  no  alpha- 
bet and  had  never  heard  of  the  ink-bottle  and  the  reed  pen, 
and  in  a  few  years  to  lead  them  across  a  gulf  which  other 
nations  have  only  traversed  in  the  slow  progress  of  centu- 
ries, to  fashion  for  them  a  literary  language  out  of  their  own* 
vocables,  teaching  them  to  read  and  write,  to  join  in  prayer 
and  praise  and  song,  to  start  a  printing-press  in  their  midst 
and  make  use  of  the  people  themselves  to  work  it,  so  that 
the  African  has  taken  in,  adopted,  and  practised  within 
twenty-five  years  what  took  the  Greek  and  Latin  twenty- 
five  centuries  to  accomplish.  These  are  but  fragments  of 
the  great  edifice  of  Christian  belief  and  life,  which  it  is  the 
object  of  missions  to  erect,  and  which  no  other  conceivable 
agency  could  have  effected." 

The  fourth  and  youngest  of  the  major  departments  of 
missions  is  the  medical  work.     It  goes  directly  back  to  the 


184  3Iodern  Missions  m  the  East 

example  of  our  Lord,  "  who  bad  compassion  for  the  sick 
and  healed  them,  and  gave  his  disciples  power  to  heal  all 
manner  of  sickness  and  all  manner  of  disease." 

The  missionary  community  itself  must  have  medical  help. 
No  person  skilled  to  cure  can  behold  the  suffering  mass  of 
humanity  about  him  without  doing  something  to  relieve 
their  distress.  The  work  once  begun  enlarges,  presses, 
brings  forth  fruit,  until  special  physicians  must  be  sent  out. 
Such  marvellous  skill,  such  unimagined  kindness  establish  a 
claim  on  the  respect  and  gratitude  of  the  patient,  which 
makes  an  open  avenue  for  the  gospel.  That  is  the  philos- 
ophy of  medical  missions.  At  the  same  time  their  very 
skill  and  success  excite  superstitious  awe,  as  of  witchcraft, 
which  may  become  the  source  of  slander  and  riot,  as  in 
China. 

Even  the  ancient  civilization  of  China,  with  all  its  achieve- 
ments, has  accomplished  little  for  the  cure  of  disease. 
Their  superstition  forbids  to  this  day  the  dissection  of  the 
human  body,  and  I  found  only  models  of  papier-mache  in 
the  mission  medical  schools.  Anatomy,  physiology,  pathol- 
ogy, and  materia  medica  are  not  only  unknown,  but  replaced 
by  most  absurd  theories.  Surgery  is  practised  in  China  in 
only  the  rudest  way.  "Before  surgeons  came  from  the 
west,"  says  Dr.  Kerr,  "  there  was  no  one  in  all  the  empire 
who  would  venture  to  puncture  an  abscess  or  remove  the 
simplest  tumor."  Diseases  are  the  visitation  of  evil  spirits, 
and  are  to  be  driven  out  by  gongs  and  fire-crackers,  or  by 
drinking  the  ashes  of  hieroglyphic  charms.  Think  of  the 
sufferings  of  mothers  and  children,  of  the  pains  of  disease, 
enhanced  a  hundred  times  by  superstitious  terrors !  There 
is  often  a  kind  of  intuitive  knowledge  of  the  use  of  native 
herbs  in  sickness,  but  beyond  that  the  native  medicine-man 


'Flic  Departments  in  their  Yariety  185 

is  a  quack  whose  profession  in  the  eyes  of  his  people  ranks 
with  the  mysterious  occupations  of  the  priest  and  the  sooth- 
sayer. 

The  medical  missionary  should  be  one  thoroughly  trained 
for  his  work,  especially  in  surgery.  But  the  chief  object 
should  always  be  kept  foremost  in  his  mind — evangeliza- 
tion. Just  as  the  literary  work  simply  gives  a  basis  for  the 
direct  aim  of  the  mission,  so  the  medical  work,  which  treats 
man  as  an  embodied  soul,  must  keep  the  soul  always  in 
view.  "  Philip  has  shrunk  into  an  ambassador,"  wrote  Dr. 
Carey  once  of  his  son.  The  missionary  should  never  shrink 
into  a  mere  physician. 

Next  to  this  danger  is  that  of  neglecting  the  language. 
More  than  all  other  men  the  missionary  is  pressed  into  the 
work  from  the  start.  But  his  usefulness  will  be  permanently 
injured  if  he  does  not  devote  the  first  year  almost  exclu- 
sively to  the  study  of  the  language.  Dr.  Lowe,  of  the 
Edinburgh  Medical  Society,  even  recommends  that  he  be 
sent  to  a  station  distant  from  his  future  work,  and  that  his 
full  medical  and  surgical  outfit  be  not  supplied  until  he  has 
passed  his  examinations  in  the  vernacular. 

The  divisions  of  the  work  are  mainly  four.  He  may  do 
a  localized  or  an  itinerant  work.  He  may  have  a  hospital 
or  a  dispensary.  Probably  he  will  combine  two  or  more  of 
them.  Besides  this,  he  will  soon  begin  to  train  his  assist- 
ants, all  of  whom  should  be  Christians,  as  nurses  and  physi- 
cians. They  will  become  medical  missionaries  to  their  own 
people.  The  hospital  and  dispensary  may  often  be  made 
self-supporting  through  their  benefits  to  the  local  commu- 
nity, whether  native  or  European.  This  is  the  case  with 
the  hospitals  at  Tientsin,  Shanghai,  and  Foochow.  In  India 
the  government  gives  grants  to  such  medical  work. 


186  Modern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

But  the  medical  missionary  must  avoid  being  drawn  from 
his  evangelistic  work  into  private  practice.  The  attractions 
and  emoluments  of  this  are  frequently  great.  If  he  have 
not  taken  up  the  cross  for  life,  if  he  be  not  fully  conse- 
crated, he  may  yield. 

It  is  important  that  the  physician  should  also  be  a  preach- 
er. This  office  he  cannot  delegate  to  others.  If  he  neglect 
the  gospel,  he  need  not  be  surprised  that  his  assistants  and 
patients  do  the  same. 

As  a  model  of  what  should  be  done,  let  me  give  a  sketch 
of  Dr.  McKenzie's  famous  hospital,  as  I  found  it  in  Tien- 
tsin in  1888.  He  had  then  an  average  of  forty -two  in- 
patients daily,  the  average  length  of  stay  being  twenty-one 
and  one-half  days.  As  a  rule,  the  patient  paid  for  his  food 
and  provided  his  bedding.  The  doctor  employs  two  dis- 
pensers, three  ward  attendants,  a  cook,  a  gate-keeper,  and 
a  coolie,  all  but  the  last  being  active  Christians.  He  begins 
each  day  with  a  conversational  Bible-reading  of  three-quar- 
ters of  an  hour,  many  of  the  patients  taking  part.  Medical 
work  in  the  wards  is  all  done  before  two  o'clock.  After 
that  the  ward  attendants  spen(J  a  large  portion  of  every  day 
in  teaching  the  catechism  to  those  patients  who  can  and 
will  receive  instruction.  Enthusiasm  is  aroused,  and  the 
more  advanced  among  the  patients  help  instruct  the  others. 
Tuesday  evenings  a  class  is  held  for  gathering  up  the  fruit 
of  the  week.  Friday  evenings  there  is  a  special  meeting 
of  the  helpers  and  other  Christians  for  prayer  and  study  of 
the  Scriptures,  Dr.  McKenzie  himself  leading  at  these  vari- 
ous meetings.  I  have  met  few  missionaries  who  have  so 
impressed  me  with  the  spiritual  power  of  their  life  as  did 
Dr.  McKenzie,  now  gone  to  his  reward.  When  I  asked 
him  what  the  viceroy,  Li  Hung  Chang,  the  chief  patron  of 


Tlie  Departments  in  their  Variety  187 

the  hospital,  thought  of  this  so  marked  religious  feature,  he 
replied,  "  He  thinks  it  a  harmless  eccentricity."  But  this 
eccentricity  is  so  effective  that  more  members  are  usually 
received  into  the  London  Missionary  Society  church  at  Tien- 
tsin from  this  hospital  than  from  all  other  sources. 

There  is  a  great  difference  in  the  opportunities  presented 
by  different  countries  for  medical  work.  In  Japan  the  day 
for  such  work  is  gone  by.  The  native  physicians  are  well 
trained  and  numerous.  They  regard  such  movements  with 
jealousy.  In  India  the  government  does  much  itself  for  the 
sick,  but  it  also  welcomes  and  aids  medical  missionaries. 
Female  physicians  are  needed  who,  unlike  those  serving 
under  the  Lady  Dufferin  fund,  and  therefore  pledged  against 
uttering  a  word  about  religion,  shall  be  as  skilful  in  teach- 
ing Christ  as  in  healing  sickness.  China  is  the  great  field 
for  medical  missionaries;  nothing  so  much  breaks  down 
Chinese  pride  or  secures  the  people's  gratitude. 

In  1849  there  were  not  more  than  forty  medical  mission- 
aries in  the  whole  field.  The  first  three  to  China  were 
from  the  American  Board,  the  leader  among  them  being  Dr. 
Peter  Parker,  who  "  opened  China  to  the  gospel  at  the  point 
of  his  lancet."  First  of  all,  however,  was  Dr.  John  Scudder, 
who  labored  in  India  from  1819  to  1855. 

I  have  described  the  four  great  departments  of  work  on 
the  field.  But  it  would  be  an  error  to  suppose  that  this  is 
all.     There  are  other  minor  branches. 

5.  The  musical  work.  If  people  are  to  praise  God  they 
must  have  voices,  songs,  hymns,  and  instruments  of  praise. 
If  we  can  make  the  songs  of  these  melody-loving  peoples, 
we  shall  be  sure  to  gain  their  hearts.  Next  to  the  Bible 
comes  the  hymn  and  tune  book.  The  missionary  may  find 
sweet  native  poets,  such  as  are  in  the  Marathi  Mission.     He 


188  Modern  3Hssio7is  in  the  East 

may  sparingly  introduce  the  best  tones  from  bis  own  land, 
mucb  of  Sankey's  music  being  very  popular.  Still  more  sbould 
be  cull  out  tbe  best  native  melodies,  transfer  tbem  to  our 
musical  scale,  and  have  tbem  set  to  appropriate  words.  Then 
be  sbould  train  bis  voices.  Two  of  our  missionaries  in  Japan 
have  devoted  months  to  the  preparation  of  a  uniform  hymn 
and  tune  book,  now  completed.  I  have  seldom  beard  better 
congregational  singing  than  at  Ahmadnagar,  in  India,  and  at 
Samokov,  Bulgaria.  How  many  souls  all  round  the  world 
are  sung  into  tbe  kingdom  of  heaven ! 

6.  The  mechanical  or  industrial  department.  Partly  to 
help  pupils  pay  their  way  through  school,  partly  to  provide 
a  future  means  of  support  for  orphans,  or  any  young  persons, 
many  schools  and  orphanages  have  an  industrial  department 
connected  with  them,  in  which  young  men,  perhaps  young 
women,  are  taught  various  trades.  The  Roman  Catholics 
have  long  made  use  of  the  plan  with  great  success,  and  it  is 
being  extensively  adopted  by  Protestants.  I  have  seen  such 
departments  in  Bardizag,  near  Nicomedia,  and  in  Samokov ; 
also  in  other  missions  of  other  bodies.  Girls  learn  to  sew 
and  spin  and  weave.  Boys  learn  the  carpenter's,  cabinet- 
maker's, tailor's,  shoemaker's,  and  printer's  trades.  The 
Basel  Mission  has  a  most  extensive  work  of  this  kind  in 
India.  Tbe  American  Board  has  an  industrial  school  at 
Sirur,  near  Ahmadnagar,  over  which  Mr.  Winsor  is  most  en- 
thusiastic. Another  is  just  being  introduced  at  Foocbow, 
Every  mechanical  gift  which  a  missionary  possesses  will  be 
utilized  in  this  work. 

7.  The  episcopal  or  paternal  department.  This  is  rather 
a  function  than  a  department,  because  it  is  interwoven  with 
almost  everything  a  missionary  does.  In  most  countries 
native  Christians,  even  pastors,  long  remain  children,  depend- 


The  Departments  in  their  Variety  189 

ent  on  the  missionary  for  guidance  and  aid.  Nowhere  at 
home,  in  non-episcopal  churches,  will  a  man  be  so  called 
upon  to  exercise  this  function  of  oversight  and  direction  as 
on  the  mission  field.  lie  is  the  teacher  of  the  teachers,  the 
guide  of  the  guides.  He  is  the  head  of  many  families,  the 
powerful,  wise  one  to  whom  a  large  circle  of  converts  and 
helpers  look  for  advice,  comfort,  and,  too  often,  for  pay  or 
alms.  "You  are  the  father  and  the  mother  of  us  all."  He 
is  consulted  about  marriages  and  funerals,  and  is  the  general 
father-confessor.  While  much  of  this  should  be  avoided,  lie 
must  long  remain  the  practical  bishop  among  the  native 
pastors  and  churches.  There  is  such  a  demand  for  organiz- 
ing, executive,  governing  talent  as,  at  home,  comes  to  not 
one  in  a  thousand.  The  missionary  should  be  a  statesman, 
a  man  able  to  know,  select,  train,  and  guide  men ;  he  should 
be  a  churchman,  able  to  found  and  develop,  not  one  church 
alone,  but  whole  groups  of  churches.  The  culmination  of 
missionary  life  seems  to  be  reached  in  this  episcopal  function. 

Every  one  of  these  seven  departments  directly  concerns 
the  people  to  whom  the  missionary  is  sent.  There  are  others 
which  concern  them  only  indirectly,  yet  are  indispensable. 
They  are : 

8.  Architectural.  Everywhere  houses  must  be  built  or 
adapted  for  use.  Everywhere  school-houses,  chapels,  churches 
arc  to  be  put  up  ;  therefore,  the  missionary  must  be  an 
architect  and  builder.  Yes,  he  must  often  be  the  contractor, 
master-mechanic,  and  master-mason.  I  have  seen  tlie  mis- 
sionary working  most  of  the  day  with  brick  and  mortar. 
Then  he  changes  his  clothes  and  teaches  a  class  of  boys,  re- 
citing, perhaps,  in  a  shed  until  the  school-building  is  com- 
pleted. But  as  a  rule,  I  must  confess,  I  have  admired  the 
pluck  and  devotion  of  these  amateur  architects  more  than 


190  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

their  success.  They  do  not,  however,  malve  the  mistalve  of  a 
friend  of  mine,  I  will  not  say  where,  who  planned  a  fine  two- 
story  building,  and  only  realized  when  it  was  too  late  to 
change  that  he  had  allowed  no  room  for  a  stairway,  which, 
therefore,  was  built  on  from  the  outside.  Far  too  often  in 
the  tropical  climate  of  India  a  stiff  New  England  meeting- 
house is  erected,  with  no  more  comeliness  than  adaptation  to 
the  climate.  In  this  the  Romanists  are  much  ahead  of  us. 
In  all  their  great  centres  they  employ  a  skilful  architect.  At 
every  central  station  there  should  be  a  layman  competent  to 
conduct  both  this  department  and  the  following: 

9.  The  mercantile  department.  I  quite  despair  of  giving 
an  idea  of  its  variety  and  importance.  The  missionary  is  an 
agent  for  the  transaction  of  all  kinds  of  business.  He  may 
be  a  purchaser  for  his  entire  station.  He  must  ship  all 
goods  thus  bought  or  received  from  home  to  points  hun- 
dreds of  miles  apart.  Some  one  must  be  paymaster  to  the 
mission,  and  treasurer  for  all  its  receipts  and  expenditures. 
Every  missionary  is  paymaster  to  a  troop  of  native  agents, 
catechists,  school-teachers,  Bible-women,  etc.  He  is  also,  by 
choice  of  the  native  Christians,  usually  their  treasurer,  or  at 
least  holds  their  funds ;  for  Orientals,  even  Christians,  are 
slow  to  trust  one  another  in  this  way.  If  there  is  a  print- 
ing-press, the  missionary  must  superintend  that.  Much  of 
all  this  should  be  done  by  a  business  agent.  I  know  of  few 
ways  in  which  a  good  business  layman  could  do  more  to 
advance  the  cause  of  Christ  than  to  take  this  work  from 
the  hands  of  missionaries,  not  always  gifted  with  practical 
skill,  and  always  weighed  down  with  overwork,  and  do  the 
whole  business  as  it  ought  to  be  done,  for  the  glory  of  God. 
We  have  lately  had  such  men  in  Peking,  Kobe,  and  Con- 
stantinople.    Mr.  Peet,  at  the  latter  place,  must  have  saved 


The  Departments  in  their  Variety  191 

tlie  mission  tliousands  of  dollars,  besides  relieving  men  for 
their  proper  work,  and  achieving  a  fine  business  reputation 
for  the  mission.  There  sliould  be  such  a  man  at  Bombay, 
if  nowhere  else,  to  be  at  once  financier,  business  agent,  and 
architect  for  the  mission. 

10.  I  seem  to  have  reached  the  end  of  liis  labors  when  I 
speak  of  the  missionary  as  correspondent.  This  is  no  light 
matter.  lie  must  correspond  not  only  with  his  liome  rela- 
tives, but  also  with  liis  mission  board,  to  give  reports  of  liis 
work,  and  with  his  brethren  and  agents  on  the  field,  to  keep 
lip  with  their  doings.  Then  he  must  often  write  to  the 
churches  at  home,  especially  if  he  solicits  or  receives  special 
funds  from  such  sources.  Some  men  depend  largely  for  the 
development  of  their  work  on  funds  received  in  small  contri- 
butions from  many  private  quarters.  Each  of  these  calls  for 
a  letter,  and  the  burden  becomes  very  heavy. 

These,  then,  are  the  ten  departments  of  missionary  work, 
the  ten  digits  whose  fingers  most  heavily  press  down  our 
weary  brethren  in  the  field.  I  know  some  who  have  been 
engaged  in  all  of  them,  but  for  the  most  part  there  is  a  di- 
vision of  labor,  where  each  takes  the  w^ork  for  which  he  is 
best  fitted.  This  marvellous  diversity  in  some  ways  gives  a 
better  sense  of  the  greatness  of  the  work  than  anything  else. 
It  shows  how  vast  is  the  undertaking,  how  broad  the  founda- 
tion, how  varied  the  call.  There  is  not  a  single  talent  which 
may  not  be  made  serviceable  in  the  field.  There  is  such  a 
variety  of  work  to  choose  from  that  all  may  be  suited.  It  is 
just  the  American  versatility  of  character  that  has  so  well 
fitted  our  brethren  for  this  work. 

I  do  not  claim  that  even  this  is  an  exhaustive  catalo"-ue  of 
all  branches  of  a  missionary's  employment.  There  are  two 
others  which  are  incidental,  though  important. 


192  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

11.  The  eleventh  department  is  pliilantliropic.  The  mis- 
sionary is  called  upon  to  lead  great  humanitarian  movements. 
The  prohibition  of  child-murder  and  widow-burning  in  India, 
and  many  other  benevolent  deeds  everywhere,  are  largely  due 
to  missionaries.  Robert  Hume  has  travelled  all  over  India, 
as  the  secretary  of  the  Indian  Marriage  Reform  Association. 

12.  The  twelfth  and  last  department  is  the  matrimonial 
or  match-making  department.  I  speak  with  perfect  serious- 
ness, though  I  own  to  much  and  amused  surprise  on  learning 
the  facts.  The  native  girls  come  into  the  charge  of  the  mis- 
sionaries in  orphanages  and  boarding-schools.  They  are  to 
be  provided  with  husbands,  and  Christian  husbands.  On  the 
other  band,  the  Christian  young  men — pastors,  catechists,  and 
others — want  educated  Christian  wives,  just  such  as  are  to  be 
found  in  these  schools.  But  the  parties  most  concerned  do 
not  make  the  matches  ;  that  is  usually  done  by  the  parents. 
And  the  mission  now  stands  in  loco  parentis  to  the  girls. 
Sometimes  in  China  parents  transfer  their  daughters  entirely 
to  the  mission,  the  latter  agreeing  to  make  the  match  and 
furnish  the  dowry.  The  young  man,  through  his  father,  ap- 
plies for  any  one  in  general,  or  for  a  certain  one  in  particu- 
lar. The  mission,  which  usually  means  the  missionary's 
wife  or  the  school-teacher,  suggests,  approves,  or  vetoes  a 
choice,  and  further  arrangements  are  made  accordingly.  I 
do  not  say  that  this  is  universal.  But  in  China  and  India  it 
often  occurs,  and  in  some  schools  is  the  rule.  It  adds  a  new 
and  peculiar  responsibility,  but,  considering  oriental  customs, 
it  is  often  a  most  beneficial  practice. 

Should  confirmation  be  needed  of  the  variety  of  the  work 
as  I  have  presented  it,  listen  to  the  words  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Scud- 
der,  at  Calcutta :  "  So  far  as  my  experience  goes,  the  office 
of  the  missionary  is  never  a  sinecure.     Anxious  to  give  him- 


TJie  Departments  in  their  Variety  193 

self  chiefly  to  the  spiritual  part  of  his  work,  he  is  thwarted 
at  every  turn.  Besides  exercising  his  legitimate  functions  as 
preacher,  pastor,  and  evangelist,  he  is  coerced  by  his  environ- 
ment to  act  in  rotation  as  master,  manager,  inspector,  and 
examiner  of  schools  ;  superintending  and  travelling  catechist ; 
doctor  and  dispensing  druggist ;  accountant  and  paymaster ; 
architect  and  master-builder ;  magistrate,  judge,  and  jury ; 
secretary,  with  an  extensive  home  correspondence  ;  a  mem- 
ber of  several  committees ;  an  officer  or  trustee  of  various 
benevolent  societies,  and  sometimes  a  municipal  commis- 
sioner." 

An  old  Scotchman  once  claimed  to  have  invented  a  ma- 
chine for  blowing  thirteen  fires  at  once.  That  is  the  ma- 
chine for  the  missionary.  Twelve  fires  I  have  named.  But 
he  may  be  jack  at  all  trades,  yet  do  well  if  he  be  only  mas- 
ter of  one.  Master  of  hearts  he  certainly  must  be.  That  is 
the  thirteenth  fire,  which  must  be  constantly  kept  aglow. 
His  own  heart  first,  then  the  hearts  of  his  people.  Out  of 
the  consecrated  mission  heart  come  the  many  issues  of  mis- 
sion life. 

13 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE    HOME    AND    REST    OF    THE    MISSIONARY 

There  is  an  element  of  missionary  life  vvliich  is  seldom 
presented,  yet  most  important.  It  is  the  mission  home.  At 
none  of  the  great  missionary  conferences  have  I  found  a  pa- 
per devoted  to  this  subject.  Yet  it  underlies  the  whole  of 
the  work,  and  discloses  the  ideal  of  Protestant  missions  more 
clearly  than  any  other  point.  For  the  sake  of  the  contrast, 
glance  a  moment  at  the  Roman  Catholic  missions. 

Two  elements  are  prominent  in  the  Roman  Catholic  work 
which  are  absent  or  inconspicuous  in  that  of  the  Protestants  : 
the  celibate  and  the  sacramental  features.  The  former  of  these 
involves  the  sending  out,  for  the  evangelization  of  the  world, 
orders  of  men  devoted  to  poverty,  chastity,  and  obedience. 
The  missionary,  even  if  not  an  ascetic,  is  always  to  be  a  cel- 
ibate. He  seeks  to  plant  the  church  among  the  heathen,  but 
it  is  a  church  which  inheres  in  the  priesthood,  not  in  the  con- 
gregation. He  seeks  the  salvation  of  the  heathen,  but  that 
salvation  is  communicated  through  the  sacraments,  the  re- 
ception of  baptism,  the  service  of  the  mass.  The  Roman 
Catholic  missionary  evangelizes  little,  in  our  sense  of  the 
word.  He  does  not  preach  in  the  open  air  to  the  natives. 
He  educates  little,  except  to  train  men  for  the  church  or  to 
compete  with  Protestants.  The  Order  of  St.  Joseph,  which  I 
visited  in  Hong-Kong,  and  which  is  established  in  various 
countries,  including  our  own,  is  an  exception  to  this  rule,  as 


The  Home  and  Rest  of  the  Missionary  195 

it  has  founded  many  fine  institutions  devoted  to  liigber  edu- 
cation. 

But  the  chief  aim  of  the  Roman  Catholic  mission  seems  to 
be  to  attract,  hold,  and  train  its  people  by  its  ritual,  by  con- 
fession, and  by  catechetical  instruction.  It  establishes  great 
institutions  for  children,  especially  orphans,  gives  them  a 
small  amount  of  mental  and  a  large  amount  of  industrial 
training,  secures  the  formation  first  of  Christian  families, 
then  of  communities  composed  of  these  children  committed 
to  its  hands,  and  from  such  communities  expands  by  natural 
generation  and  accretion.  It  produces  a  people  not  very  in- 
telligent, not  very  distinct  from  the  heathen — because  in  India 
it  yields  to  caste,  and  everywhere  compromises  with  the  social 
customs  and  approximates  the  worship  of  paganism — but  a 
people,  on  the  whole,  loyal  to  their  church,  and  as  faithful  to 
the  light  they  have  as  most  communities.  Intermarriage, 
institutional  training,  public  processions,  and  church  ritual 
may  be  called  the  main  pillars  of  this  work.  What  specially 
concerns  us  here  is  the  fact  that  their  missionary  does  not 
make  a  home,  but  founds  an  institution ;  is  not  a  member  of  a 
family,  but  of  an  order ;  does  not  so  much  propose  to  trans- 
form and  elevate  the  natives  by  his  example  and  personal 
influence  as  to  save  them  by  the  ministration  of  the  holy 
offices  of  the  church. 

There  is  much  that  we  may  learn  from  these  missions,  but 
all  the  more  should  we  understand  that  the  ideal  of  Protest- 
ant missions  is  a  different  one,  in  some  points  directly  op- 
posed to  this — usually  higher  and  more  difficult,  but  always 
different.  Much  misjudgment  on  both  sides  would  be  avoid- 
ed were  this  radical  difference  in  both  aim  and  method  ad- 
mitted from  the  start. 

The  influences  of  the  Protestant  mission  are  not  priestly, 


196  Modern  Missi07is  in  the  East 

but  personal;  the  unit  of  the  mission  is  not  the  brotherhood 
or  the  institution,  but  the  family.  The  method  is  not  by 
confession  and  sacrament,  but  by  inspiration  and  develop- 
ment ;  and  the  aim  is  not  simply  conversion,  obedience,  and 
the  church,  but  manhood,  Christhood,  and  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

The  first  thing  the  Protestant  missionary  does  among  the 
heathen  is  to  establish  a  home.  He  approaches  them  not  as 
a  priest,  not  simply  as  a  man,  but  as  the  head  of  a  family, 
presenting  Christianity  quite  as  much  in  its  social  as  in  its 
individual  characteristics.  This  Christian  home  is  to  be  the 
transforming  centre  of  a  new  community.  Into  the  midst 
of  pagan  masses,  where  society  is  coagulated  rather  than 
organized,  where  homes  are  degraded  by  parental  tyranny, 
marital  multiplicity,  and  female  bondage,  he  brings  the  leaven 
of  a  redeemed  family,  which  is  to  be  the  nucleus  of  a  re- 
deemed society.  The  first  consecrating  touch  of  the  Incar- 
nation rested  upon  the  family.  It  is  still  from  the  family 
that  the  influences  which  are  to  save  men  in  heathenism  take 
their  start,  and  it  is  on  the  family  that  they  are  concentrated. 
All  the  hallowed  relationships  of  domestic  life  are  to  be  ex- 
emplified in  the  mission  home ;  all  the  traits  of  noble  social 
character  and  intercourse  there  illustrated ;  all  the  regenerat- 
ing influences  of  family  life  are  to  flow  forth  from  this  spot 
into  the  darkened,  deformed,  misconstructed  communities 
about.  It  is  on  this  mission  home  that  everything  else  is 
founded  —  the  school,  the  college,  the  church,  the  kingdom 
itself.  The  laborers  need  not  be  tied  to  one  spot,  they  may 
move  about  in  tents  and  boats ;  but  the  itinerating  mission- 
ary is  never  so  successful  as  when  his  wife  and  children  are 
with  him  wherever  he  encamps.  While  he  preaches  out-doors, 
the  wife  goes  into  the  homes,  gathers  the  women  about  her, 


The  Home  and  llest  of  the  Missionary  197 

brings  a  ray  of  light  into  those  darkened  abodes,  and  gives 
them  their  first  glimpse  of  true  womanhood.  It  is  some- 
times the  babe  in  the  arms  that  breaks  down  barriers  that 
have  resisted  everything  else. 

When  tliey  are  at  their  homes,  this  new  institution,  with 
its  monogamy,  its  equality  of  man  and  woman,  its  sympathy 
between  child  and  parent,  its  co-operative  spirit  of  industry, 
its  intelligence,  its  recreation,  its  worship,  is  at  once  a  new 
revelation  and  a  striking  object-lesson  of  the  meaning  and 
possibility  of  family  life.  Whether  they  come  to-  his  church 
and  school  or  not,  the  natives  seem  always  ready  to  visit  the 
missionary's  home,  and  to  remain  there  so  long,  and  to  con- 
duct themselves  so  familiarly,  that  it  sometimes  becomes  nec- 
essary to  teach  them  by  object-lesson  another  feature  of  the 
Christian  home  —  its  privacy.  Nothing  more  significant  oc- 
curred at  the  London  Conference  in  1888  than  this:  When 
the  Earl  of  Aberdeen  took  the  chair  to  preside  at  the  vale- 
dictory meeting,  he  placed  at  his  side  Lady  Aberdeen,  his 
wife.  This  was  accepted,  and  commented  upon  as  a  culmi- 
nating illustration  of  the  work  and  methods  of  missions.  It 
was  at  the  same  conference  that  Mr.  R.  Wardlaw  Thompson, 
Secretary  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  expressed  him- 
self in  this  strong  way  :  "  I  will  say,  from  observation  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  world,  that  one  Christian  missionary  home 
with  a  Christian  wife  does  more  to  humanize,  elevate,  and 
evangelize  a  race  of  people  than  twenty  celibate  men.  Chris- 
tianity has  its  sweetest  fruits  and  its  most  gracious  work  in 
the  home ;  and  from  the  home  must  radiate  its  most  power- 
ful influence  if  any  country  is  to  be  lastingly  influenced  by 
Christianity." 

My  own  experience  confirms  this  testimony.  I  have  re- 
peatedly found  lonely  stations  occupied  by  one  missionary 


198  Modern  Missioois  in  the  East 

family  the  solitary  beacon  of  light  in  the  darkness  and  shad- 
ow of  death.  The  members  of  the  family  have  comforted 
and  sustained  one  another  at  home,  they  have  co-operated 
with  one  another  abroad.  While  the  husband  has  travelled 
and  preached  and  taught,  the  wife  has  gathered  the  women 
together  on  the  veranda  of  the  bungalow  and  taught  them 
sewing,  lace-raaking,  singing,  and  reading.  The  daughter  has 
taken  charge  of  the  girls'  school,  and  in  her  father's  absence 
has  even  been  paymaster  for  the  station.  On  the  other  hand, 
when  the  wife  has  had  no  interest  in  or  adaptation  for  the 
work,  her  husband's  usefulness  has  been  hopelessly  crippled. 
Such  cases  are,  fortunately,  rare. 

If  we  once  heartily  accept  this  distinctive  feature  of  Prot- 
estant missions,  we  shall  cease  to  apologize  for  what  it  in- 
volves. It  is  probable  that  brotherhoods  and  sisterhoods,  or 
communities  of  bachelor  missionaries,  have  an  important 
sphere,  even  in  Protestant  missions.  It  is  certain  that  celi- 
bate life,  which  was  once  hardly  permitted  on  our  mission 
fields,  is  common  now  for  both  sexes.  It  has  its  own  advan- 
tages. Zenana  workers,  school-teachers,  and  lay  evangelists 
may  often  well  be  unmarried.  The  rule  and  the  ideal,  how- 
ever, must  remain  the  family. 

If  the  family,  in  its  very  existence,  is  an  important  mission 
agent,  having  a  distinct  work  to  do,  not  only  for  its  own 
members  but  for  the  natives,  whether  Christian  or  heathen, 
especially  serving  as  an  object-lesson  of  all  the  choicest  fruits 
and  privileges  of  Christianity,  then  there  must  be  a  distinct 
acceptance  of  this  office  by  its  members,  and  it  must  play  its 
part  in  the  outreaching  work  of  the  missionary.  The  natives 
must  be  brought  in  contact  with  this  domestic  sphere.  The 
walls  of  the  home  should  be  at  least  translucent,  that  its 
light  may   continually  shine    through    to  them ;    its  doors 


The  Home  and  Rest  of  the  Missionary  199 

should  be  often  open,  its  table  often  spread  for  them  ;  a  dis- 
tinct social  as  well  as  Christian  fellowship  should  be  cultivat- 
ed. It  is  a  peculiar,  delicate,  and  difficult  work.  Those  who 
succeed  in  other  spheres  may  fail  entirely  here.  The  social 
and  official  relations  of  the  missionaries  to  one  another,  and 
their  personal  and  social  relations  to  the  natives,  are  really 
the  most  embarrassini^  parts  of  a  missionary's  life.  The  prob- 
lem is  how  to  stamp  the  impress  of  their  own  Christian  do- 
mestic life  on  the  homes  about  them  in  such  a  way  that, 
while  neither  loses  its  distinctive  national  type,  the  oriental 
home  shall  be  Christianized  by  the  example  of  the  occidental 
home.  The  results  of  this  work  are  not  seen  in  the  reports 
of  the  societies.  They  cannot  be  tabulated — they  are  seldom 
known  ;  but  very  much  is  accomplished.  The  failure,  where 
there  is  any,  arises  not  so  much  from  lack  of  disposition  as 
from  the  lack  either  of  personal  adaptation  to  such  a  work 
or  of  an  appreciation  of  its  importance.  The  subject  de- 
serves a  much  more  careful  study  in  all  missionary  confer- 
ences than  has  been  yet  given  to  it. 

In  the  social  intercourse  between  a  superior  and  an  infe- 
rior race  facts  of  difference  cannot  be  ignored.  How  preserve 
dignity  without  assumption  ?  •  How  avoid  familiarity  with- 
out stiffness  and  offence?  How  Christianize  without  Euro- 
peanizing  the  Chinese  or  Indian  home  ?  How  prevent  the 
outward  imitation  of  habits  and  surroundings  injurious  to  the 
native  simplicity  and  economy  of  life  while  persuadino-  to 
the  adoption  of  Christian  relations  and  sentiments,  and  of 
such  habits  as  will  be  most  conducive  to  these?  How,  final- 
ly, keep  an  open  door  for  the  natives  and  allo^v  them  to  re- 
ceive the  example  and  influence  of  missionary  home-life  by 
sharing  it,  and  at  the  same  time  preserve  that  sacred  seclu- 
sion which  makes  home  a  home,  a  harbor  of  refuo-e  for  the 


200  Modern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

harassed  laborer,  who  seeks  within  it  that  quiet,  rest,  and  re- 
freshment of  which  none  have  sorer  need  than  the  foreign 
missionary  ?  It  is  right  here,  to  my  mind,  that  the  most 
searching  and  delicate  test  of  the  trne  missionary  is  found. 
The  official  work,  whether  teaching,  preaching,  healing,  or 
translating,  can  be  done  from  the  simple  sense  of  duty.  But 
to  overcome  the  instinctive  shrinking  from  people  of  another 
race,  to  welcome  within  the  domestic  enclosure  all  sorts  of 
people,  to  render  one's  self  liable  to  every  form  of  interruption 
and  intrusion,  and  to  have  one's  time  frittered  away  by  talk 
with  individuals  when  he  would  be  reaching  the  masses  or 
training  the  leaders — this  personal  work  in  the  home  can  be 
made  possible  and  delightful  only  by  enthusiasm  for  Christ's 
work  of  saving  men,  joined  to  a  personal  attachment  for  the 
people  whose  life  one  has  come  to  share.  When,  in  one  or 
two  cases,  missionaries,  otherwise  excellent  and  useful,  have 
confessed  that  they  could  not  get  rid  of  an  aversion  to  the 
people  for  whom  they  were  so  conscientiously  working,  I 
have  been  amazed  that  they  could  accomplish  as  much  as 
they  were  doing.  Yet  in  India  there  is  so  much  contempt 
manifested  for  the  natives  by  English  official  and  mercantile 
classes  that  one  who  associates  much  with  them  is  apt  to  be 
infected  with  their  spirit,  and  find  himself  secretly  despising 
the  people  whom  he  has  come  to  save. 

The  greater  the  strain  made  on  the  home  in  accom- 
plishing this  most  beneficent  ministry  of  Christianizing  the 
heathen  home,  the  more  need  is  there  of  its  being  rein- 
forced to  fulfil  its  primary  office  of  ministering  to  its 
inmates. 

The  Protestant  does  not  go  out,  like  the  Roman  Catholic, 
detached  from  all  bonds  of  country,  society,  and  family — a 
member  only  of  an  order,  bound  by  no  higher,  perhaps  no 


The  Home  and  liest  of  the  Missionary  201 

other,  allegiance  than  that  to  his  church.  Though  he  leaves 
country,  friends,  and  home,  and  exiles  himself  for  life,  iu 
taking  his  family  he  takes  bonds  that  bind  him  to  his  native 
land  and  to  western  civilization.  He  must  not  become  an 
Asiatic ;  he  must  remain  a  European,  an  American.  If  the 
missionary  requires  to  be  orientalized  in  order  to  be  success- 
ful, then  the  Protestant  ideal  of  missions  must  be  given  up, 
and  the  missionary  must  become  a  celibate.  The  family 
cannot  be  torn  from  its  roots  in  western  civilization.  The 
missionary  occupation  is  not  hereditary.  The  children  belong 
to  the  West,  and  should  return  to  the  West.  They  simply 
cannot  be  brought  up  on  the  mission  field.  The  eastern 
climate  is,  in  most  cases,  against  them ;  there  is  little  oppor- 
tunity for  European  training;  much  early  intercourse  with 
the  natives  is  undesirable ;  the  spiritual  atmosphere  of  hea- 
thenism is  malarial.  It  is  even  claimed  that  children  of  mis- 
sionaries make  poor  missionaries  themselves,  for  the  reason 
that,  having  been  brought  up  with  the  natives,  they  have  an 
unfavorable  opinion  of  them,  and  do  not  treat  them  with  the 
consideration  accorded  by  those  who  have  never  been  on  so 
familiar  terms  with  them.  I  am  not  prepared  to  indorse  this 
statement,  but  simply  give  it  for  what  it  is  worth.  This 
much  is  certain  :  that,  so  long  as  they  remain  on  the  mission 
field,  the  children  should  have  all  possible  advantages  of  an 
occidental  Christian  home,  that  they  may  go  to  their  own 
land  for  further  education,  not  as  aliens  left  hopelessly  in  the 
rear  and  unfitted  to  return  should  they  ever  adopt  the 
mission  career;  for,  apart  from  the  possibility  already  men- 
tioned, they  should  and  do  have  both  predilection  and  pre- 
adaptation for  the  foreign  work.  Remaining  under  parental 
care  in  the  mission  home  as  long  as  possible,  they  should  there 
find  the  reproduction  of  western  life,  there  receive  western 


202  Jloderti  Jlissions  in  the  JEast 

training  and  follow  western  customs,  until  sent  to  their  own 
land  for  all  that  the  West  can  give. 

There  is  another  fact  which  has  an  important  bearing  on 
the  character  of  this  home.  The  missionary  stands  in  the 
East  as  the  representative  of  the  AVest ;  of  the  best  of  the 
West — its  most  progressive  life,  its  latest  achievements,  its 
freshest  developments.  In  all  his  teaching  he  communicates 
western  knowledge,  whether  biblical,  scientific,  or  literary. 
He  imparts  the  special  results  of  the  development  of  the 
western  churches,  and  is  the  transmitter  of  western  institu- 
tions and  philanthropies.  He  works  from  the  level  of  a  highly 
civilized  occidental  Christian,  who  has  acquired  by  inheri- 
tance and  instruction  certain  gifts,  faculties,  traits,  and  habits, 
which  make  him  what  he  is,  in  which  he  has  his  life,  through 
which  he  does  his  work.  Living  in  the  East,  he  cannot  be 
sundered  from  the  West,  but  is  thrust  forward  as  a  distant 
outpost-member,  still  connected  with  its  life.  As  one  called 
on  thus  to  mediate  between  East  and  West,  to  impart  western 
life  in  all  its  highest,  divinest  essence  to  the  communities 
about  him,  the  missionary,  for  the  Asiatic's  sake,  as  well  as 
for  his  own  and  his  family's  sake,  must  keep  himself  in 
touch  with  that  throbbing,  growing  life.  The  communication 
between  East  and  West  must  be  kept  open,  and  the  home  in 
the  East  must  in  all  essential  respects  be  maintained  as  a 
western  home. 

Imagine  for  a  moment  that  some  devoted  missionary  fam- 
ily believes  that  duty  calls  them  to  cut  themselves  off  from 
contact  with  western  life,  and,  forgetting  all  else,  to  simply 
live  as  the  natives  do,  immersing  themselves  in  the  eastern 
life  around  them.  One  decade  passes,  and  what  changes 
have  come  to  the  church  at  home!  The  temperance  work 
has  advanced,  the  whole   work  of  the  Women's  Christian 


The  Home  and  Best  of  the  Missionary         203 

Temperance  Union,  for  instance,  comintr  to  the  fore  ;  Sunday- 
school  work  has  grown  ;  the  Youno-  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation has  expanded  marvellously ;  the  Christian  Endeavor 
movement  has  spruno-  np.  Work  for  and  by  women,  work 
for  and  by  the  laity,  work  for  and  by  young  people — all  these 
things  are  new  developments.  There  are  new  methods  of 
studying  the  Bible,  and  there  is  progress  in  theology  and  in 
the  administration  of  the  churches.  There  is  also  advance 
in  the  methods  of  mission  work,  through  the  experiences  of 
other  countries,  of  which  one  can  learn  only  through  the 
West.  Of  all  this  the  purely  orientalized  missionary  has  no 
idea.  Even  those  who  attempt  to  keep  up  with  the  march 
of  God's  kingdom  find  it  hard  enough  to  do  so.  A  returned 
missionary  feels  himself  at  first  a  stranger  among  so  many 
changes.  One  of  the  brightest  women  on  the  mission  field 
says  the  greatest  change  is  in  regard  to  the  position  and 
work  of  women,  and  after  an  absence  of  a  decade  or  more 
she  hardly  knows  how  to  adjust  herself  to  the  new  require- 
ments. There  are  some  mission  stations,  composed  mainly 
of  older  men,  whose  intercourse  with  the  home-land  has  been 
less  than  usual,  where  I  felt  myself  among  those  who  were 
distinctly  working  from  the  stand-point  of  a  generation  ago. 
The  ideas,  the  text-books,  the  methods,  the  church  life  and 
forms  were  all  back-numbers.  Little  harm  in  that,  some 
may  say,  where  the  whole  of  the  Christian  life  has  to  be  ac- 
quired. 

But  the  mischief  is  right  here.  Some  time  the  leaders 
of  the  young  church  must  come  in  contact  with  modern 
ideas  and  movements.  Then  they  will  discover  how  diflEer- 
ent  is  the  life  of  to-day  from  that  of  the  last  generation. 
And  they  will  cease  to  regard  their  former  instructors  as 
competent  leaders,  even  if  they  do  not  denounce  them  for 


204  Moderyi  Missions  in  the  East 

teaching  outworn  and  rejected  doctrines  and  practices.  To 
take  a  single  instance  :  I  have  received  complaints  from 
pastors  in  Asiatic  Turkey  because  the  missionaries  had  not 
been  willing  to  countenance  the  churches  in  any  observance 
of  Christmas  and  Easter.  From  the  New  England  stand- 
point of  a  generation  ago,  as  also  from  that  of  the  idolatrous 
eastern  churches,  it  is  not  difficult  to  understand  and  appre- 
ciate this  unwillingness.  But  one  who  knows  the  present 
practices  of  our  churches  in  that  respect  would  not  doubt 
that  there  might  be  found  a  way  of  gratifying  the  natural 
desire  of  Christians  to  honor  the  day  of  the  birth  and  resur- 
rection of  their  Lord  without  countenancing  idolatry. 

There  is  yet  a  deeper  consideration  involved.  It  should 
certainly  be  possible,  as  it  is  also  most  desirable,  for  the 
church  of  the  AVest  to  impart  to  the  churches  of  Asia  now 
comino;  into  being^  the  essential  results  of  its  strugojles,  bat- 
ties,  and  development.  Our  nineteen  centuries  should  give 
the  fruit  of  the  ages  into  their  hands  at  the  start.  Why 
should  it  be  necessary  for  them  to  fight  over  again  our  bat- 
tles already  won,  to  make  all  our  experiments,  fall  into  our 
errors,  and  encounter  all  our  hinderances  and  defeats?  Ex- 
periments, battles,  divisions,  and  mistakes  enough  of  their 
own  they  will  make,  but  surely  the  weapons  we  have  forged, 
the  main  results  we  have  reached,  are  gains  for  the  world  at 
large.  The  new  Christianity  of  the  East  should  be  able  to 
start  from  the  level  of  the  nineteenth  century — of  the  twenti- 
eth, in  fact.  The  power  of  the  laity,  of  women,  of  the  young, 
as  agents  for  the  progress  of  the  gospel — these  are  largely  dis- 
coveries of  our  time.  Such  discoveries,  and  many  others  of 
like  importance,  should  be  utilized  in  the  East  as  well  as  in 
the  West,  for  the  laity,  the  women,  the  young  of  the  churches 
of  Asia,  that  it  may  not  take  them  eighteen  centuries  to  learn 


The  Home  and  Rest  of  the  Missionary  205 

the  principles  of  temperance  reform,  of  pliilanthropic  endeav- 
or, and  of  the  use  of  the  agencies  for  church  work  that  lie 
close  at  hand.  Wherever  theology,  too,  has  advanced  to  any 
clearer  comprehension  and  utilization  of  revelation,  these 
gains  should  be  at  the  service  of  the  young  church. 

"  What  has  all  this  to  do  with  the  character  of  the  mis- 
sionary home  ?"  it  may  be  asked.  It  has  very  much  to  do, 
I  reply.  It  affects  the  whole  ideal  of  mission  life.  It  simply 
emphasizes  the  necessity  and  duty  of  the  missionary  family 
to  remain  in  close  contact  with  the  rapid  movements  of  west- 
ern life.  They  may  not  become  orientalized.  They  are 
always  to  remain  occidentals,  strangers  among  a  strange  peo- 
ple— not  men  without  a  country,  but  foreign  merchants  con- 
tinually dealing  in  the  wares  of  their  native  land,  continually 
dependent  upon  a  fresh  supply  of  the  latest  goods.  It  might 
be  possible  for  an  exceptional  single  man  to  be  orientalized 
without  loss  of  tone,  but  to  orientalize  the  home  means,  for 
a  western  family,  not  simply  loss  of  power,  not  simply  dis- 
comfort or  sufferinar:  it  means  deo;radation. 

What,  then,  does  a  western  home  in  the  East  involve? 

It  involves  not  a  house  like  his  neighbors,  very  often  not 
a  native  house  at  all,  but  one  adapted  at  once  to  the  climate 
of  the  country,  and  to  the  health  and  peculiar  needs  of  a  for- 
eigner in  a  strange,  often  tropical  and  sickly  climate.  The 
foreio-n  mission -house  should  be  laro-er,  roomier,  more  com- 
fortable,  more  permanent  than  the  home  mission- house, 
which  is  built  as  a  temporary  abode  for  one  who  resides  in  a 
familiar  and  favorable  climate  among  his  own  people,  who 
may  soon  be  able  to  do  better  for  him,  while  the  natives  will 
never  be  asked  to  do  anything  in  that  way  for  their  mission- 
ary. The  furniture  of  the  West  should  be  there.  He  should 
not  be  expected  to  sit  on  the  floor,  sleep  on  a  mat,  or  eat 


206  Modem  Missions  in  the  East 

from  a  plate  of  plantain  leaves,  or  with  chopsticks,  or  his 
fingers,  though  he  should  be  able  and  ready  to  do  all  this 
when  there  is  occasion.  He  should  have  the  books,  period- 
icals, pictures,  and  musical  instruments  of  his  own  country. 
In  short,  he  should  have  a  little  bit  of  America  or  Europe 
set  right  down  in  a  heathen  land,  which  is  to  be  the  centre  of 
this  work,  the  sure  retreat  for  sleep,  rest,  and  family  worship. 

Do  I  seem  to  be  tearing  the  heart  from  the  mission  work, 
and  intimating  that  he  should  not  deny  himself  and  bear 
his  cross,  but  live  a  luxurious  life  ?  Where,  then,  is  the  self- 
denial  of  pastors  and  Christians  throughout  this  land  of 
comfortable  homes?  To  put  one's  self  under  those  circum- 
stances which  best  fit  one  for  the  performance  of  his  duties 
surely  does  not  conflict  with  true  self-denial  any  more 
abroad  than  at  home.  The  points  at  stake  are :  greatest 
health  and  efficiency  of  body,  mind,  and  soul ;  highest  lift 
and  fullest  flow  of  life  to  impart  to  others ;  rest  and  re- 
freshment in  weariness ;  proper  care  for  the  wife,  who  is 
a  fellow  -  missionary ;  wisest  training  for  the  children,  who 
keep  their  birthright  in  their  native  land,  and  are  soon  to 
return  thither ;  and  intimate  connection  with  the  home- 
church,  which  the  missionary  may  often  revisit  and  help 
to  instruct.  These  are  the  requirements  which  call  for  a 
healthy,  comfortable,  happy  eastern  home  for  the  mission- 
ary family.  Anything  else  is  not  economy  for  the  church 
at  home  any  more  than  for  the  workers.  Economy  de- 
mands that  our  agents  abroad  be  kept  in  the  best  possible 
condition  for  their  tremendous  work.  Western  farmers 
lose  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  every  year  simply 
through  neglecting  to  properly  house  their  farming  imple- 
ments.   Let  us  not  repeat  their  mistake  with  human  tools. 

That  there  may  be  individuals  who  have  a  tendency,  even 


The  Home  and  liest  of  the  Missionary         207 

among  Protestants,  to  celibate,  even  to  ascetic  life  on  the 
mission  field,  I  should  not  care  to  deny,  but  it  would  be 
exceptional.  The  Rev.  George  Bowen  was  one  of  those 
exceptions,  and  I  found  the  influence  of  his  self-denying 
life  of  faith  great  among  the  natives.  But  it  was  not 
greater  than  that  of  Dr.  Duff,  the  well-fed  and  hearty  mis- 
sionary, or  Donald  McLeod,  the  civilian,  whose  picture  a  sect 
of  Hindus  was  discovered  honoring  with  idolatrous  wor- 
ship, and  of  whom  a  Brahmin  said  that  if  all  Englishmen 
were  like  Donald  McLeod,  all  Hindus  would  be  Christians. 
Their  self-denial  took  other  forms.  Nor  was  the  work  of 
Mr.  Bowen  a  success.  Giving  up  all  salary  and  all  com- 
forts, he  reduced  his  expenses  so  low  that  his  annual  out- 
lay did  not  probably  exceed  $150.  I  found  him  editing  a 
little  newspaper,  and  living  in  the  most  simple  and  frugal 
way  possible.  But  after  he  had  been  doing  this  for  a 
dozen  or  more  years  he  was  asked  by  Bishop  Thoburn 
whether  the  experiment  had  proved  successful.  He  re- 
plied, in  substance,  "  I  have  not  been  wholly  disappointed, 
but  I  have  not  been  successful  enough  to  make  me  feel 
like  advising  any  one  to  follow  my  example.  I  have  dis- 
covered that  the  gulf  which  separates  the  people  of  this 
country  from  us  is  not  a  social  one  at  all ;  it  is  simply  the 
great  impassable  gulf  which  separates  between  the  religion 
of  Christ  and  an  unbelieving  world." 

The  Indian  Churchman^  the  High  Church  organ  of  Cal- 
cutta, gives  testimony  of  the  same  sort,  and  most  remark- 
able when  we  consider  the  source  from  which  it  comes : 
"  Mr.  Bowen  spent  a  long  life  in  the  native  quarter  of 
Bombay,  adapting  himself  in  almost  every  particular  to  the 
habits  of  the  natives ;  he  got  admiration  from  his  country- 
men, respect  and  affection  from  the  heathen — everythino- 


208  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

but  converts.  Father  O'Neill  again,  in  another  part  of  In- 
dia, submitted  himself  with  the  utmost  self-denial  to  hard- 
ships which  few  Europeans  would  be  physically  able  to 
bear;  yet  he  likewise  baptized  scarcely  a  single  person." 

If  to  prove  our  self-denial  we  must  vie  with  the  Hindus 
in  asceticism,  we  might  as  well  give  it  up.  We  could  die, 
but  we  could  not  live,  as  they  can,  least  of  all  work,  in  such 
a  life.  A  young  missionary  who  scouted  the  extravagance 
of  his  brethren  while  touring  started  out  once  with  only 
his  blanket,  determined  to  show  the  natives  that  a  Chris- 
tian could  live  as  simply  as  their  own  three  millions  of  dev- 
otees. But  while  he  lay  Avrapped  in  his  blanket  the  first 
night  one  of  those  same  devotees  approached  him,  and  in 
a  tone  of  disgust  inquired  why  he  used  a  blanket,  as  it 
was  quite  unnecessary.  That  was  the  cause  of  his  throw- 
ing away,  not  his  blanket,  but  his  ascetic  theories.  Writes 
Monier  Williams :  "  No  Christian  man  can  for  a  moment 
hope  to  compete  with  any  religious  native  of  India,  Hindu 
or  Mohammedan,  who  may  enter  on  a  course  of  fasting, 
abstinence,  and  bodily  maceration.  The  constant  action 
of  a  tropical  climate,  and  the  peculiar  social  habits  of  the 
sons  of  the  soil  in  the  eastern  countries,  continued  for  cen- 
turies, have  induced  a  condition  of  body  that  enables  them 
to  practise  the  most  severe  and  protracted  abstinence  with 
impunity  and  even  with  benefit,  while  Europeans,  who,  with 
a  view  of  increasing  their  influence,  endeavor  to  set  an  ex- 
ample of  self-mortification,  find  themselves  quite  outdone 
and  hopelessly  left  in  the  rear  by  a  thousand  devotees  in 
every  city  of  India,  who  fast,  not  as  a  penitential  exercise, 
but  as  a  means  of  accumulating  religious  merit."  "  By  adopt- 
ing the  ascetic  life  of  devotees,"  wrote  Dr.  Murray  Mitch- 
ell, "  we  might  doubtless  make  hundreds  of  converts  where 


The  Home  and  Rest  of  the  3Iissionary  209 

we  now  make  tens;  but  that  would  be  to  try  to  make  them 
Christians  by  renouncing  Christianity."  There  is  no  rea- 
son, then,  for  attempting  to  make  heathen  live  like  Chris- 
tians by  making  Christians  live  like  heathen. 

I  liave  quoted  from  missionaries  and  scholars ;  let  me 
also  quote  from  an  article  in  the  Contcmj)orary  Review^  by 
Mr.  Meredith  Townsend,  an  Anglo-Indian  official  of  liigh 
character  and  ability,  lie  is  discussing  the  proposition 
made  by  some  that  the  salaries  of  missionaries  shall  be 
reduced  to  about  one-third  the  present  amount,  and  they 
themselves  be  required  to  live  like  the  natives.  An  un- 
married missionary,  he  admits,  may  do  this  for  a  time 
while  serving  his  apprenticeship.  But  then  ho  will  learn 
that  he  cannot  ask  a  woman  to  share  this  life  with  him. 
"  She  would  be  simply  a  household  servant  in  the  tropics, 
the  most  unendurable  of  earthly  positions,  without  good 
air,  without  domestic  help,  without  good  medical  attend- 
ance, and  without  the  respect  of  the  people  among  whom 
her  husband  labors.  They  understand  real  asceticism  per- 
fectly well,  and  reverence  it  as  the  subjugation  of  the  flesh  ; 
and  if  the  missionaries  carried  out  the  ascetic  life  as  Hin- 
dus understand  it — lived  in  a  hut,  half  or  wholly  naked, 
sought  no  food  but  what  was  given  them,  and  suffered 
daily  some  visible  physical  pain — they  might  stir  up  the 
reverence  which  the  Hindu  pays  to  those  who  are  palpably 
superior  to  human  needs.  But  in  their  eyes  there  is  no 
asceticism  in  the  life  of  a  mean  white,  but  only  the  squalor, 
unbecoming  a  teacher  and  one  who  professes,  and  must  pro- 
fess, scholarly  cultivation.  Even  if  the  cheap  missionary 
could  induce  a  fitting  wife  to  share  such  a  lot,  he  will  think 
of  the  children  to  come,  and  perceive  from  examples  all 
around  him  what,  on  such  an  income,  their  fate  must  be. 

14 


210  Modern  3Iissi07is  in  the  East 

They  will  be  boys  and  girls  witli  tlie  white  energy  who 
have  been  bred  as  natives — that  is,  they  will,  unless  excep- 
tional persons,  belong  to  the  most  hopeless  class  in  the 
world.  They  cannot  be  sent  home  or  be  kept  in  the  hill 
schools,  or  in  any  way  separated  from  the  perpetual  con- 
tact with  an  Asiatic  civilization  which  eats  out  of  white 
children  their  distinctive  morale.  .  .  .  But  for  his  highest 
usefulness  he  must  marry.  The  people  do  not  believe  in 
celibacy,  except  as  a  matter  of  religious  obligation,  and  if 
single  he  is  suspected  and  watched.  .  .  .  The  opinion  of 
the  experienced  ought  to  be  sufficient,  and  that  opinion  is 
utterly  fatal  to  any  such  scheme.  A  missionary  is  not 
made  more  efficient  by  being  scarified  every  day  with  the 
squalid  troubles  of  extreme  poverty,  and  the  notion  that 
his  low  position  will  bring  him  closer  to  the  native  is  the 
merest  delusion.  The  white  missionary  is  not  separated 
from  the  Indian  by  his  means,  but  by  his  color,  and  the 
differences  produced  by  a  thousand  years  of  differing  civ- 
ilizations which  the  word  color  implies.  He  is  a  European 
— those  to  whom  he  preaches  are  Asiatics ;  in  presence  of 
that  distinction  all  others  are  not  only  trivial  but  imper- 
ceptible. The  effect  of  the  cheap  missionary,  then,  on  the 
native  mind  will  be  precisely  that  of  the  dear  missionary, 
except  that,  as  an  unmarried  man,  he  will  be  regarded  with 
infinitely  more  suspicion  and  mistrust." 

The  whole  matter  is  well  summed  up  in  a  resolution 
adopted  by  the  London  Missionary  Society,  after  it  had 
been  giving  special  investigation  to  this  and  kindred  topics: 
"  While  recognizing  the  expediency  of  employing  in  spe- 
cial circumstances  and  for  a  limited  time  unmarried  men  as 
missionaries,  the  committee  emphatically  indorse  the  opin- 
ion, expressed  to  them  very  decidedly  by  some  of  our  most 


The  Home  and  Rest  of  the  Missionary  211 

experienced  missionaries,  that  the  labor  and  influence  of 
missionaries'  wives,  and  the  wholesome  and  happy  example 
of  Christian  home-life,  are  among  the  most  important  means 
of  successful  missionary  effort." 

Just  here,  indeed,  in  the  point  touched  by  Mr.  Townsend, 
we  reach  one  of  the  many  limitations  of  the  missionary 
work.  The  European  missionary  cannot  altogether  adapt 
himself  to  the  Asiatics ;  he  cannot  quite  be  an  Indian  to  the 
Indians,  or  a  Chinaman  to  the  Chinese.  He  must  always 
remain  a  foreigner.  But  he  can  plant  the  native  church, 
whose  office  it  is  to  take  up  the  work  committed  to  it  by 
the  mission  and  carry  it  on,  as  only  a  native  church  can  do. 
This  limitation  is  a  most  happy  one,  both  for  the  foreigner 
and  the  native. 

There  is  yet  one  other  reason  for  giving  the  missionary 
home  all  the  cheer  and  comfort  it  can  contain.  None  but 
those  who  have  experienced  it  can  know  how  subtle,  mighty, 
and  pervasive  is  the  demoralizing  influence  of  contiguous 
heathenism.  The  missionary  himself,  whatever  may  be 
done  for  his  children,  must  come  in  ceaseless  contact  and 
conflict  with  it.  It  is  inevitable  that  he  should  suffer  from 
the  very  touch  of  the  unclean  thing.  K  distinguished  and 
courageous  clergyman  of  New  York  has  expressed  in  the 
strongest  terms  his  sense  of  the  personal  degradation  he 
felt  in  witnessing  the  midnight  orgies  of  disorderly  houses, 
which,  in  his  capacity  as  president  of  the  Society  for  the 
Suppression  of  Crime,  he  felt  himself  called  upon  to  visit 
and  expose.  But  the  whole  life  of  many  a  missionary, 
especially  in  India,  must  be  spent  in  communities  whose 
very  religion  and  temple-worship  is  suffused  with  the  spirit 
of  animalism  and  sensuality.  Daily  compelled  to  witness 
abominations  of  the  vilest  sort,  not  only  is  his  own  life 


212  3Ioder)i  3Iissions  in  the  East 

drained  of  sympathy  and  vitality,  but  the  infection  of  the 
thing  he  hates  steals  upon  his  soul.  He  is  like  a  physician 
in  the  midst  of  an  epidemic.  He  stands  alone.  The  inter- 
lacing spiritual  bonds  of  a  Christian  community,  which 
bear  us  up  as  in  a  net  of  safety,  are  withdrawn  from  him. 
The  native  church  itself  is  dripping  with  the  foul  waters 
of  heathenism  from  which  it  has  just  emerged.  The  one 
means  of  safety  for  himself  and  his  children  is  the  Chris- 
tian home,  where  everything  breathes  the  simple  refine- 
ment, the  domestic  purity,  the  personal  culture  and  eleva- 
tion of  his  own  land.  Let  this,  then,  be  his  earthly  haven 
and  heaven,  full  of  the  flowers  and  fruits  and  graces  of  the 
Christian  life,  as  an  antidote  against  the  encroaching  hea- 
thenism without. 

The  mission-houses  in  Japan  are  almost  always  built  in 
foreign  style.  European  furniture  and  boots  spoil  their 
delicate  woodwork  and  light  mats.  In  Corea  and  China 
the  more  substantial  native  houses  are  easily  adapted  to 
European  needs,  though  it  is  often  more  economical  to 
build.  The  mission  bungalows  in  India  differ  from  those 
in  any  country  I  have  seen.  The  intense  heat  of  eight 
months  of  the  year,  the  violence  of  the  rainy  season,  the 
inroads  of  the  white  ants  and  other  insects,  call  for  spa- 
cious, shady  houses,  with  high  ceilings,  large  rooms,  and 
wide  verandas,  capable  of  being  shut  in  from  the  light  and 
heat  of  the  day.  Punkahs,  or  broad  swinging  fans,  must 
be  suspended  from  the  ceiling.  Sometimes  during  the  hot 
season  these  are  kept  moving  all  night  as  well  as  all  day. 
The  life  of  children  may  depend  on  this  constant  use  of 
the  punkah.  There  must  be  many  servants,  for  caste  and 
custom  have  taught  each  to  (\o  but  a  certain  part  of  the 
work ;  and  if  the  missionary's  wife  is  to  help  him  in  his 


The  Home  and  Rest  of  the  3fissioncmj         213 

mission  labors,  slic  must  not  spend  her  strength  in  that 
which  four  or  five  servants  can  do  for  her.  Family  wor- 
ship becomes  a  special  feature  and  of  missionary  impor- 
tance. It  is  attended  by  all  the  servants,  who  participate  in 
reading,  singing,  and  prayer  in  the  vernacular.  Many  of 
these  servants  are  thus  converted.  It  is  one  of  tlie  first 
fields  of  missionary  labor,  and  often  the  first  church  is  the 
church  in  the  house. 

But  enrich  and  sweeten  the  missionary  home  as  much 
as  we  may,  something  more  is  needed.  It  is  often  the 
thronged  centre  of  church  helpers,  native  Christians,  and 
heathen  inquirers,  besides  the  many  visitors  who  flock  there 
from  simple  curiosity,  or  for  the  purpose  of  seeking  ma- 
terial help.  It  is  filled  with  the  labors  of  school  and  work 
of  all  the  dozen  different  departments  in  a  missionary's 
life.  It  is  down  on  the  hot,  steaming,  malarial  plains,  or 
in  the  noisy,  filthy  city,  which  at  certain  portions  of  the 
year  becomes  pestilential.  If  the  missionary  is  to  live  and 
continue  his  labors  he  must  get  away  from  his  work  and 
its  associations,  from  all  the  burden  of  the  mission,  and 
from  contact  with  the  native  life.  A  great  number  of  mis- 
sions have,  therefore,  secured  sanitaria  in  some  favored  ac- 
cessible spot.  The  American  Board  has  such  sanitaria  at 
Kodikanal,  in  the  Pulney  hills,  and  at  Mahableshwar,  in 
India ;  in  the  Western  Hills,  near  Peking,  in  China ;  and 
on  Mount  Iliyeizan,  in  Japan. 

In  India  the  whole  government  moves  bodily,  bag  and 
baggage,  from  Calcutta  to  Simla,  a  thousand  miles  away 
and  7000  feet  above  the  sea,  in  the  Himalayas.  Every 
year  the  transfer  forth  and  back  is  made.  Five  months 
are  spent  in  Calcutta,  seven  months  in  Simla.  Most  of 
this  time,  while  English  oflicials  are  doing  their  work  in 


214  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

the  cool  mountain  air,  tlieir  kinsmen,  the  missionaries,  are 
trying  to  work  and  live  in  the  terrible  heats  below,  with 
their  swinging  punkahs,  dripping  water,  darkened  rooms, 
and  every  other  device  to  make  life  possible  and  tolerable. 
If  the  few  worst  weeks  of  the  year  can  be  spent  at  a  moun- 
tain sanitarium,  who  will  not  think  it  a  wise  economy  of 
time  and  money  and  men  ?  That  there  are  now  so  many 
such  sanitaria  to  offer  refuge  to  our  brethren  is  one  more 
proof  that  missionary  management  has  become  a  science, 
missionary  life  a  profession. 

But  with  all  the  help  of  their  homes  and  their  sanitaria, 
there  comes  to  most,  sooner  or  later,  if  they  remain  at 
their  post,  a  break-down — a  time  when  only  one  thing  will 
enable  a  man  longer  to  carry  on  the  work  or  save  himself 
from  collapse.  That  one  thing  is  a  visit  to  his  native 
land.  It  is  far  better,  far  cheaper,  if  you  choose  to  look 
at  it  in  that  way,  if  this  furlough  can  anticipate  the  col- 
lapse. The  children  too  must  be  taken  home  for  educa- 
tion and  intercourse  with  other  children.  The  wife  and 
mother  requires  rest.  She  longs  for  the  sight  of  her 
friends.  All  need  to  be  delivered  for  a  time  from  the  at- 
mosphere of  heathenism  rushing  in  at  every  pore,  and  to 
be  strengthened  and  quickened  by  contact  with  the  great 
throbbing  heart  of  Christendom.  The  church  at  home 
has  progressed.  In  order  truly  to  represent  it  the  mis- 
sionary must  keep  touch  and  pace  with  it.  Often  he  has 
some  important  enterprise  which  he  is  to  push  through  in 
his  own  country,  or  he  is  to  represent  the  claims  of  the  en- 
tire mission  on  the  home  board  and  the  church.  More 
laborers  are  wanted,  and  he  can  best  hunt  them  up. 

The  church  at  home  too  needs  to  see  and  hear  its  la- 
borers on  the  fields  of  Asia  and  Africa  and  the  islands. 


The  Home  and  Rest  of  the  Missionary         215 

Nothing  gives  such  reality  and  interest  to  missions  as  to 
meet  a  live  missionary  who  knows  how  to  give  a  living 
picture  of  his  work.  It  is  true  indeed  that  not  every  mis- 
sionary is  able  to  do  this.  It  is  not  always  the  best  speak- 
ers who  are  the  best  workers,  not  the  best  workers  who 
are  the  best  speakers.  A  missionary  must  often  pay  the 
penalty  of  his  devotion  to  liis  own  particular  work  by  be- 
coming narrow  and  eccentric,  or  ill -adapted  to  speak  to  the 
church  at  home.  His  mind  moves  in  realms  unfamiliar  to 
us,  while  from  our  interests  he  is  disconnected.  He  does 
not  feel  liimself  en  rapport  with  his  audience.  Most  men, 
too,  in  all  professions  are  private  soldiers,  doing  well  their 
own  part,  but  knowing  little  how  the  battle  goes  which 
they  are  helping  to  decide.  A  few  men  are  generals,  who 
can  at  once  direct  the  battle  and  report  on  its  progress. 
Such  men  are  Dr.  Duff,  Dr.  Jessup,  Dr.  Scudder,  Bishop 
AVilliam  Taylor,  Dr.  Nevius,  Bishop  Thoburn,  Dr.  De 
Forest,  Rev.  Robert  Hume,  and  many  another  who  might 
be  named. 

Right  here,  however,  is  a  point  where  the  interest  of 
liome  pastors  and  of  all  who  help  shape  the  sentiment  and 
the  management  of  missions  should  be  enlisted.  The 
need  of  these  home  furloughs  is  perfectly  obvious.  The 
statistics  of  the  different  fields  show  just  how  long  the  av- 
erage missionary  can  work  before  the  first  break-dowm 
comes.  For  China  it  is  a  trifle  over,  for  Japan  a  trifle  un- 
der, seven  years,  with  a  shorter  time  in  each  case  for 
women.  For  India  the  time  is  somewhat  longer.  For 
Turkey  I  have  no  statistics.  For  Africa  it  is,  of  course, 
still  shorter.  Physicians  in  China  and  Japan  recommend 
seven  years  as  the  longest  period  for  the  first  term,  eight 
to  ten  for  the  second.     But  the  boards  wdiich  have   the 


216  Modern  3Ilssions  in  the  East 

management  of  tlie  matter  look  at  it  from  a  different 
point  of  view.  The  expense  of  bringing  a  missionary 
home  is  great,  the  loss  to  the  field  is  far  greater,  and  what, 
perhaps,  counts  still  more,  the  ohurch  at  home  does  not 
understand  why  so  many  missionaries  keep  coming  and 
going.  Accordingly,  where  there  are  any  rules  at  all,  the 
first  period  is  usually  made  ten  years,  with  a  furlough  then 
of  a  year  and  a  half,  with  ensuing  terms  of  seven  years. 
The  American  Board,  however,  declined  to  adopt  any  rules 
whatever.  There  is,  I  believe,  a  tacit  understanding  that  a 
man  may  come  home  at  the  end  of  ten  years.  This  is  not 
a  matter  about  which  missionaries  say  much.  It  is  not 
easy  for  them  to  plead  their  own  cause.  I  find  the  matter 
fairly  taken  up  in  but  one  conference,  that  at  Osaka,  in 
1883,  where  Dr.  Berry  and  Dr.  Taylor  gave  papers  which 
should  be  read  by  all.  Just  because  they  cannot  easily 
speak  for  themselves,  there  is  the  more  reason  for  home 
pastors,  who  enjoy  from  one  to  three  months'  vacation 
every  year,  to  protect  the  interests  of  their  brethren  in  the 
field.  A  careful  study  of  the  matter  on  the  ground,  in 
conference  with  the  brethren  there,  has  brought  certain 
suggestions  to  mind  which  I  submit  with  due  respect.  We 
might  adopt  a  rule  permitting  missionaries  in  Asia  to 
come  home  at  the  end  of  seven,  and  requiring  a  return  at 
the  end  of  ten  years  the  first  time,  allowing  from  ten  to 
twelve  years  for  the  second  term,  with  a  furlough  of 
eighteen  months  each  time.  About  the  same  salary  as  on 
the  field  could  be  continued  while  at  home,  and  expenses  of 
the  trip  be  paid  both  ways.  From  one-third  to  one-half  of 
the  time  might  be  at  the  disposal  of  the  society  for  assistance 
in  the  rooms,  or  for  deputation  work  among  the  churches. 
The  society  should  stand  in  such  relation  to  the  churches 


TJie  Home  and  Rest  of  the  Missionary  217 

that  it  can  send  men  whom  it  chooses  from  time  to  time 
into  the  different  pulpits,  giving  the  fullest  and  best  pres- 
entation of  the  cause,  and  saving  some  expense  of  field  and 
district  secretaries.  If  this  were  the  rule  of  the  different 
boards,  and  so  understood  by  the  churches,  it  would  do 
away  with  some  of  the  wonder  expressed  at  seeing  so 
many  missionaries  at  home.  The  expense  of  such  a  sys- 
tem would  in  tlie  end  be  less  than  now.  Wallace  Taylor, 
M.D.,  said  at  Osaka,  "The  present  hap -hazard,  unsys- 
tematic methods  of  most  missions  and  boards  are  attended 
with  the  greatest  expense  and  the  poorest  returns.  Some 
men  break  down  partially  after  four  or  five  years  in  Japan, 
but  go  on  two  or  three  years  longer,  doing  half-work  rather 
than  ask  to  come  home.  Then  when  men  do  come  home 
they  are  often  so  much  broken  down  that  they  are  for  a 
long  time  unfitted  to  do  anything  but  rest.  Without 
some  rule,  other  men  work  on  indefinitely  till  an  utter  col- 
lapse comes,  from  which  perhaps  they  do  not  recover  for 
years." 

There  is  still  one  other  matter  in  connection  with  the 
home  and  rest  of  the  missionary  about  which  I  wish  to 
speak.  The  theory  of  a  missionary's  pay  is  that  it  should 
be  simply  a  living  salary,  affording  just  enough  for  an 
economical,  comfortable  subsistence  from  year  to  year. 
Various  allowances  are  made  for  children,  teacher,  house 
rent,  travelling  expenses,  health  fund,  etc.  All  this  seems 
to  be  wise.  Little  inquiry  is  made  about  such  matters  by 
missionaries  when  they  go  out,  and  I  do  not  remember 
hearing  one  word  of  complaint  from  any  missionary  be- 
cause of  the  smallness  of  his  allowance. 

There  is  just  one  weak  point,  which  often  becomes  a 
very  sore  point.     Receiving  in  this  way  a  barely  living  sal- 


218  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

ary,  none  of  them  can  be  expected  with  it  to  make  any 
provision  for  the  future.  Yet  there  are  few  classes  of  men 
who  have  greater  need  of  such  provision.  They  have  with- 
drawn from  the  home  field,  with  its  promotions  and  dis- 
tinctions and  friendly  support.  They  have  put  themselves 
on  a  dead  level  of  uniform  salary,  the  veteran  receiving 
no  more  than  the  novice ;  they  have  more  or  less  unfitted 
themselves  to  engage  in  work  at  home,  and  have  counted  it 
a  privilege  to  pour  out  the  treasures  of  their  life  on  heathen 
soil.  At  last,  however,  their  work  is  done.  They  have 
exhausted  their  strength  in  a  foreign  land ;  they  will  not 
go  on  drawing  salary  for  work  they  cannot  do,  taking  the 
place  of  a  more  efficient  man.  The  worn-out  missionary 
family  comes  home.  Their  salary  ceases  ;  they  have  laid 
up  nothing  ;  what  are  they  to  do  ?  If  they  have  ever 
hinted  at  this  contingency,  they  have  been  told  to  leave  the 
future  with  God.  That  has  seemed  to  say,  "  The  society 
will  provide  for  the  bare  present.  Then  God  must  take  care 
of  you."  Still  they  know  that  is  not  so  meant.  The  so- 
ciety will  make  grants  to  them  according  to  their  need. 
With  how  little  can  they  get  along  ?  The  thought  of  their 
relatives  comes  to  them,  perhaps  of  their  children.  If  any 
of  those  relatives  are  wealthy,  the  missionaries  may  say, 
"  We  would  rather  depend  on  them,  if  possible,  than  take 
money  which  would  otherwise  go  out  to  the  field."  If  not, 
they  name  the  least  sum  they  can  get  along  with.  Perhaps 
they  live  on  here  for  years  without  quite  starving.  They 
feel  themselves  a  burden  to  the  board  ;  their  self-respect  is 
wounded;  their  hearts  are  heavy.  And  these  are  the 
people  who  have  been  doing  our  work  in  planting  the 
church  round  the  world.  Perhaps  the  missionary  has  died, 
and  the  widow  and  children  are  to  be  cared  for.     If  both 


The  Home  and  Rest  of  the  Missionary  219 

parents  die,  or  the  children  are  sent  to  this  country, 
thanks  to  Mrs.  Walker,  they  now  have  a  home  at  Auburn- 
dale,  and  there  is  also  one  at  Oberlin.  That,  however,  is 
only  a  beginning  of  justice.  This  condition  of  things  is 
not  the  fault  of  the  secretaries.  Few  know  and  honor  the 
missionaries  as  they  do.  It  is  the  fault  of  the  system.  But 
since  the  society  requires,  justly,  that  men  give  themselves 
to  the  work  for  life ;  since  it,  justly,  too,  pays  them  only  a 
living  salary,  then  ought  not  the  society  to  do  God's  work  in 
making  provision  for  the  future  of  every  one  who  gives  it 
faithful  life  service  ?  I  have  talked  much  about  this  mat- 
ter with  missionaries  and  secretaries,  and  there  is  but  one 
arrangement  which  seems  to  promise  proper  justice :  that 
is,  to  secure  a  good  life  insurance  on  its  missionaries  on 
such  terms  that  each  one  of  them,  or  his  widow,  or  their 
children,  should  have  the  benefit  of  it  in  case  of  need,  or 
after  a  certain  term  of  service.  That  would  be  much  bet- 
ter than  a  missionary,  or  widows'  or  orphans'  relief  fund. 
If  an  insurance  fund  should  be  raised,  it  would  leave  the 
other  funds  of  the  board  untouched.  I  speak  of  this  be- 
cause it  is  just  the  thing  of  which  the  missionaries  can 
least  speak,  and  because  the  claims  of  justice  seem  press- 
ing. If  the  pastors  at  home  will  take  the  matter  into  their 
hands,  something  may  be  done.  A  move  is  being  made  in 
England  and  Europe  to  have  the  state  pension  aged  pov- 
erty. How  much  greater  reason  for  the  church  to  pension 
its  faithful  aged  servants  in  the  missionary  cause ! 

This  whole  matter  of  vacations,  furloughs,  and  retirement 
demands  more  careful  and  systematic  treatment  than  it  has 
hitherto  received.  We  are  passing  out  of  the  experimental 
and  entering  on  the  professional  stage.  The  accumulated 
experience  of  these  many  years  should  furnish  us  the  proper 


220  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

principles  of  action.  We  dwell  constantly  on  the  work  of 
missionaries.  We  are  eager  enough  to  enlist  them  for  the 
service,  provided  they  meet  our  conditions.  Hitherto  we 
have  given  little  thought  for  their  provision  when  they  have 
retired.  Let  us  remember  that  they  are  men  and  women, 
husbands  and  wives,  fathers  and  mothers  and  children,  as 
well  as  missionaries,  and  let  us  have  a  care  for  their  home, 
first  when  they  are  on  the  field,  then  when  they  come  back 
here  to  rest,  or  to  die. 

We  have  penetrated  into  the  home  of  the  missionary. 
May  we  not  venture  to  go  one  step  further  and  look  into 
his  heart  and  inner  life  ?  I  hesitate  here  more  than  at  any 
point.  If  the  home  is  the  sanctum,  the  heart  is  the  sanctum 
sanctorum.  Yet  into  these  hearts  and  lives  I  have  been 
permitted  to  look,  and  I  may  so  far  share  my  experience 
with  my  readers  as  to  say  a  few  words  about  the  trials, 
perils,  and  temptations,  as  well  as  the  supports,  the  satisfac- 
tions, and  the  crown  of  missionary  life. 

Among  trials  I  do  not  mention  those  most  commonly 
included,  springing  from  climate,  exposure,  discomfort, 
disease,  etc.  There  is  both  more  and  less  of  this  than  we 
can  know.  But  the  missionary  does  not  pose  as  claiming 
special  sympathy  or  interest  in  his  work  on  this  account. 
Very  many  of  the  heaviest  burdens,  however,  are  summed 
up  in  the  one  word  whose  height  and  breadth  and  length  and 
depth  none  knows  so  well  as  he — that  word,  exile.  It  is  not 
merely  a  physical  exile  from  home  and  country  and  all  their 
interests  ;  it  is  not  only  an  intellectual  exile  from  all  that 
would  feed  and  stimulate  the  mind  ;  it  is  yet  more — a  spir- 
itual exile  from  the  guidance,  the  instruction,  the  correc- 
tion ;  from  the  support,  the  fellowship,  the  communion  of 


Hie  Ifome  and  llest  of  the  Missionary  221 

the  saints  and  the  church  at  home.  It  is  an  exile,  as  when 
a  man  is  lowered  with  a  candle  into  foul  places,  where  the 
noxious  gases  threaten  to  put  out  his  light,  yet  he  must 
explore  it  all  and  find  some  way  to  drain  off  the  refuse  and 
let  in  the  sweet  air  and  sun  to  do  their  own  cleansing 
work.  The  young  men  and  women  who  go  to  live  in  uni- 
versity settlements  in  the  lower  part  of  our  cities  have  a 
trying  task,  yet  they  are  close  to  St.  Paul's  and  Westmin- 
ster Abbey,  to  Trinity  Church,  the  Boston  and  the  Astor 
Library,  and  all  the  cultivated  and  spiritual  life  of  our  time. 
The  missionary  is  not  only  torn  away  from  those  social 
bonds  that  sustain,  or  even  almost  compose,  our  mental, 
moral,  and  spiritual  life,  but  he  is  forced  into  closest  rela- 
tions with  heathenism,  whose  evils  he  abhors,  whose  power 
and  fascinations,  too,  he  dreads.  And  when  at  last  he  can 
save  his  own  children  only  by  being  bereft  of  them,  he 
feels  himself  an  exile  indeed.  Added  to  this  is  the  daily 
burden  which  pressed  on  Paul  —  "anxiety  for  all  the 
churches."  He  sees  the  struggle  in  the  church  itself,  and 
in  its  members,  even  in  its  pastors,  between  the  new  life 
and  the  old  heathenism,  and  the  burden  would  grow  too 
heavy  did  he  not  learn  to  cast  it  on  the  Lord. 

There  are  perils  and  temptations,  too,  which  are  to  be 
specially  guarded  against.  Danger  of  growing  wonted  and 
indifferent  to  the  evils  of  heathenism,  even  demoralized  by 
them ;  danger  of  eccentricity  and  narrowness  and  morbid- 
ness from  isolation :  dano^er  of  fallinor  out  with  the  breth- 
ren,  or  with  the  committee  at  home ;  danger  of  lording  it 
over  the  natives,  or  of  being  deceived  and  misled  by  them. 
There  are  temptations  to  despondency  in  the  gigantic  task, 
or  to  compromise  for  the  sake  of  conquest.  There  are 
temptations  to  a  secular  life  and  spirit,  or  to  some  diversion 


222  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

from  tlie  real  aim  of  missions  :  temptations  to  shrink  into  an 
ambassador,  or  doctor,  or  teacher,  or  writer,  or  scientist,  or 
builder,  instead  of  being  in  all  things  the  missionary.  There 
are  temptations  akin  to  what  we  know  at  home,  but  they 
come  with  strange  form  and  force  to  our  brethren  abroad. 

There  is  yet  one  other  temptation,  of  which  I  prefer  to 
speak  in  the  wise  and  tender  words  of  the  instructions  of 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  : 

"  The  committee  are  convinced  that,  on  the  whole,  the 
greatest  danger  to  which  a  missionary  is  exposed,  especially, 
perhaps,  during  the  first  few  years  of  his  course,  is  the 
danger  of  missionary  ardor  abating,  of  some  subtle  form  of 
self-indulgence  or  worldliness,  and  of  a  lowering  of  that 
constraining  love  which  gives  to  self-denial  its  true  charac- 
ter, making  it  not  a  painful  self-torture,  but  a  joyous  self- 
forgetfulness."  In  reference  to  all  these  perils  the  prayer 
must  ever  be,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver 
us  from  evil." 

If  it  has  been  a  duty  to  speak  of  these  things,  it  is  a 
pleasure  to  speak  of  the  joys,  the  consolations,  the  satisfac- 
tions, the  triumphs,  and  the  hopes  of  the  missionary  life. 

First  of  all  must  come  the  special  ministration  of  Christ 
to  the  soul.  The  more  one  is  shut  ofi  from  his  brethren 
and  down  into  heathenism,  the  nearer  does  his  Lord  come 
to  him  in  communion,  the  more  does  the  still  small  voice 
penetrate  his  soul.  That  is  the  reason  why  the  biogra- 
phies of  our  missionaries  form  one  of  the  best  portions  of 
the  devotional  reading  of  Christendom.  Then  there  is  the 
joy  of  the  first  convert  from  heathenism,  the  satisfaction 
of  the  spreading  light,  of  the  rising  structure  where  the 
humble  apostle  has  built  on  foundations  not  laid  by  any 
other  man.     There  is  the  happiness  of  the  first  church,  of 


TJie  Home  and  Rest  of  the  Missionary         223 

tlic  growino;  Christians,  and  tlic  new  body  of  Christian 
ministers.  Despite  many  ho})es  baffled  by  relapse,  and  ex- 
pectations greatly  moderated,  there  is  delight  in  the  ripen- 
ing Christian  character  of  those  about  him,  and  in  a  new 
communion  and  brotherhood  with  the  native  Christians. 
I  have  myself  tasted  something  of  the  sweetness  of  this 
fellowship  with  men  of  strange  look  and  tongue  and 
garb,  joining  in  work  and  worship,  and  partaking  of  the 
sacrament  with  these  new-found  brethren.  Christians  at 
home  are  as  the  elder  brother,  to  whom  the  Father  says, 
"  All  that  I  have  is  thine.  But  this  thy  brother  was  dead 
and  is  alive  again,  was  lost  and  is  found.  It  is  meet  to 
make  merry  and  be  glad."  If  the  missionary  must  often 
walk  with  the  Master  in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane,  sharing 
his  burden  and  agony  for  the  souls  of  men,  he  often  too 
shares  with  his  risen  Lord  in  all  the  triumph  of  his  victory. 

The  time  of  deifying  missionaries  has  passed  ;  the  time  of 
abusing  them,  also,  let  us  trust.  It  is  not  always  possible 
for  us  to  judge  a  missionary  justly,  who,  after  an  absence 
of  ten  or  more  years,  returns  to  his  native  land.  Fresh  from 
leadership,  he  finds  it  hard  to  be  without  definite  vocation. 
Fresh  from  a  nascent  Christianity,  he  is  ill  at  ease  in  one  that 
is  triumphant  and  often  seems  corrupt.  A  long-time  exile, 
the  dialect  of  a  new  generation  is  not  on  his  lips.  And  we 
are  poorly  prepared  to  enter  into  hearty  sympathy  with 
his  trials,  his  hopes,  and  his  joys.  But  God  has  been  shap- 
ing him  into  his  own  likeness,  and  when  we  read  the  life 
of  a  Ilannington,  a  Goodell,  or  a  Baton  we  recognize  that 
moulding  hand,  and  learn  to  love  our  missionary  brethren 
with  fresh  understanding  and  gratitude. 

It  is  with  peculiar  satisfaction  that  I  recall  an  hour  spent 
with  Bhillips  Brooks  shortly  after  my  return  from  India, 


224  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

when  I  was  expressing  to  bim  my  thanks  for  valuable  letters 
of  introduction  to  bis  personal  friends.  Desirous  of  having 
my  own  judgment  as  to  the  comparative  standing  of  our 
brethren  at  home  and  abroad  confirmed,  I  asked  him  bis 
opinion,  derived  from  bis  experiences  on  the  field  abroad. 
"  As  a  body,"  was  bis  reply,  "  the  missionaries,  both  for 
ability  and  piety,  stand  at  a  high  average."  More  than 
that  certainly  could  not  be  expected,  while  many  of  the 
most  conspicuous  heroes  are  to  be  found  among  those 
whose  lives  have  been  shaped  and  whose  characters  moulded 
by  their  work  on  the  mission  field. 

There  are  many  incidental  satisfactions  on  which  I  have 
no  time  to  dwell.  To  participate  in  the  great  work  of  lift- 
ing up  degraded  humanity  is  itself  an  inspiration.  But 
when  the  faithful  worker  sees  the  kingdom  of  God  spread- 
ing through  a  great  people,  the  native  church  established 
and  propagating  itself,  Providence  bringing  light  out  of 
darkness,  and  hope  out  of  despair  ;  when  after  long  delay 
all  Christian  agencies  seem  at  last  to  enter  on  a  triumphal 
course,  developing  graces  peculiar  to  the  very  land  one  oc- 
cupies, or  in  a  degree  not  often  found  at  home ;  when  na- 
tive pastors,  the  fruit  of  one's  own  ministry,  begin  to 
preach  with  such  depth  and  richness  of  spirit  that  the  soul 
of  the  missionary  is  fed  more  than  by  any  discourses  he 
hears  from  his  home  brethren,  and  new  gleams  of  light 
and  new  meaning  for  old  texts  flash  forth  for  him  through 
the  experience  and  interpretation  of  his  own  converts ; 
when  sects  founded  by  missions  at  the  start  melt  together 
into  a  larger  native  church,  an  example  to  all  the  sects  at 
liorae — oh,  what  a  crown  is  this  to  the  exile's  life  !  Has 
home  a  joy  to  compare  with  it?  And  when  in  land  after 
land  the  native  church  shall  one  day  eclipse  the  mission. 


The  Home  and  Best  of  the  3Ilssionary         225 

will  not  the  missionaries  say,  with  the  soul-lillcd  joy  of  old 
Simeon,  "  Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace, 
for  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation  ?"  To-day,  looking 
across  the  waters,  the  same  vision  rises  before  me.  I 
know  it  to  be  true,  because  God  is  true.  And  I  know, 
too,  that  if  we  are  faithful,  if  Christendom  is  faithful,  its 
accomplishment  is  not  far  hence. 

15 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE    PROBLEMS    OF    MISSIONS 

Into  whichever  of  the  great  departments  of  work  tlie 
new-comer  on  the  mission  field  may  enter,  he  cannot  pro- 
ceed very  far  without  encountering  problems  of  the  most 
serious  nature,  which  tax  and  often  baffle  his  best  judg- 
ment— problems  which  may  to  a  great  extent  be  ignored  in 
our  home  reports,  but  which  loom  up  large  on  the  field 
itself.  He  discovers,  too,  that  these  same  questions  have 
tried  and  sometimes  divided  almost  every  mission. 

It  is  therefore  most  important  fairly  to  present  many  of 
these  problems  to  the  church  at  home,  not  only  in  order  to 
prepare  men  who  are  going  out  for  this  feature  of  their 
work,  but  also  to  enable  pastors  and  churches  at  home  to 
sympathize  and,  so  far  as  possible,  co-operate  with  pastors 
and  churches  abroad. 

One  of  the  problems  nearest  to  our  thought  is  that  of 
co-02')eration  in  missions. 

There  is,  thank  God,  much  co-operation  already.  Chris- 
tians and  churches  are  joined  in  support  of  their  respective 
denominational  societies.  A  few  union  societies,  such  as 
the  Bible  and  Tract  Societies,  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association,  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society,  and  the  China 
Inland  Mission,  show  the  co-operation  of  denominations.  At 
Madras,  Calcutta,  and  Shanghai  I  found  what,  doubtless, 
exist  elsewhere — monthly  conferences  of  missionaries  of  all 


The  Problems  of  Missions  227 

churches.  In  London  there  has  long  been  held  a  monthly 
conference  of  mission  secretaries  of  various  societies. 
There  are  union  periodicals,  such  as  the  Chinese  Recorder 
and  the  Indian  Evangelical  Review,  The  Christian  college 
at  Madras  is  supported  by  several  different  churches.  Local 
conferences,  such  as  that  held  at  Shanghai,  and  general 
conferences  like  that  of  London  in  1888,  both  express  and 
beget  co-operation.  The  union  of  Presbyterian  churches 
at  Amoy  and  Swatovv  and  throughout  Japan  is  noble  evi- 
dence of  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  To  the  Presby- 
terian union  in  China,  however,  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  made  vigorous  opposition  until  overcome  by  the 
Urmness  of  their  own  missionaries.  More  successful,  un- 
fortunately, was  the  opposition  of  a  number  of  Congrega- 
tionalists  to  the  grandest  union  movement  started  yet — that 
of  the  two  leading  Christian  bodies  in  Japan,  the  Presby- 
terians and  Congregationalists. 

Besides  all  this,  I  can  testify  to  the  general  impression 
of  brotherhood  and  co-operation  received  in  visiting  some 
500  missionaries  of  many  churches  in  many  lands.  I  have 
been  entertained  by  independent  faith  missionaries,  ritual- 
ists of  the  Church  of  England,  and  by  Roman  Catholics ; 
by  English  Baptists,  German  Lutherans,  American  United 
Presbyterians,  and  by  men  of  almost  every  leading  denomi- 
nation.    The  general  spirit  was  fraternal. 

But  the  desirableness,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  diffi- 
culties of  closer  union  or  co-operation  are  very  great.  The 
heathen  world  needs  the  evidencing  power  of  a  Christen- 
dom that  is  united  in  its  mission  labors.  The  vast  work  of 
evangelizing  the  world  also  demands  the  most  careful  dis- 
tribution of  territory,  division  of  labor,  and  economy  of  ex- 
penditure and  effort. 


228  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

Especially  in  the  great  cities  of  the  world  is  co-opera- 
tion important.  Nowhere  was  I  so  disheartened  at  the 
prospects  of  Christianity  among  the  heathen  as  in  these 
cities.  Each  society  has  a  certain  need  to  be  represented 
at  the  main  strategic  centres,  such  as  Tokio,  Shanghai, 
Madras,  Calcutta,  Bombay.  Fourteen  societies  or  more 
are  at  Tokio,  eleven  in  Shanghai,  about  as  many  in  the 
others.  True  mission  comity  would  prevent  their  tread- 
ing on  one  another's  heels.  But  I  have  seen  the  spectacle 
of  rival  societies  bidding  against  one  another  for  both 
scholars  and  agents ;  planting  weak  churches  side  by  side, 
while  large  country  districts  are  neglected,  and  distract- 
ing the  minds  of  native  Christians  by  the  enforcement  of 
distinctions  alien  both  to  their  thought  and  their  history. 
Even  in  towns  and  villages  the  same  thing  is  seen.  In 
India  thirteen  different  Presbyterian  bodies  are  at  work, 
usually  in  harmony,  but  sometimes  in  rivalry.  A  Presby- 
terian missionary,  for  instance,  tells  us  of  a  case  where  "  in 
one  small  town,  besides  a  government  institution,  there  are 
two  Presbyterian  boys'  schools  for  the  heathen,  two  con- 
gregations, which  might  easily  be  self-supporting  if  united, 
and  two  girls'  boarding-schools  in  prospect."  This  he 
very  justly  calls  "  an  inter-Presbyterian  fray." 

Even  when  the  territory  is  partitioned  out,  and  societies 
occupy  adjoining  districts,  it  not  infrequently  happens  that 
they  make  havoc  among  one  another's  converts  and  patron- 
ize one  another's  outcasts. 

The  problem  is,  how  to  bring  about  a  practical  union  of 
missionaries  and  native  Christians  while  the  home  boards 
remain  distinct. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  practical  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  union  : — 


The  Problems  of  Missions  229 

1.  The  distance  in  space  and  difference  in  tongue  which 
separate  different  missions,  or  parts  of  the  same  mission.* 

2.  The  absorption  of  each  mission  in  its  own  enterprise, 
and  consequent  ignorance  of  others. 

3.  Ambitious  desire  for  the  extension  of  one's  own 
work  and  church  even  at  the  cost  of  others. 

4.  Differences  in  discipline  and  treatment  of  native 
Christians  and  employes,  allowing  them  to  pit  one  mission 
against  the  other. 

5.  Differences  in  minor  points  of  mission  policy  and 
method,  such  as  self-support,  education,  etc.,  which  are 
yet  important,  and  which  characterize  missions. 

6.  Insistence  on  divisive  doctrines  or  practices,  such 
as  immersion,  apostolic  succession,  Calvinism,  Armenian- 
ism,  etc. 

7.  Lack  of  congeniality  among  men :  personal  remote- 
ness and  incompatibility.  It  was  just  in  the  personal  inti- 
macy of  a  few  men  that  the  secret  of  the  Japanese  Presby- 
terian Union  lay. 

8.  The  unwillingness  of  the  church  and  societies  at 
home  to  have  their  work  "  swallowed  up." 

But,  after  all,  the  great  difficulty  is  our  distance  from 
Christ.  As  we  come  near  him  we  shall  learn  how  best  to 
co-operate  with  all  our  brethren.  It  is  fulness  of  life  we 
want.  Along  the  rocky  shores  of  my  native  town  of  Marble- 
head  one  may  see  at  low  tide  many  little  pools  scattered 
among  the  rocks,  each  of  them  cut  off  from  the  others  and 


*  One  society  has  work  in  sixteen  languages  in  India  alone.  We 
should  naturally  expect  provincial  rather  than  national  churches  in 
India,  for  there  exists  no  nation.  The  use  of  English,  where  possible, 
would  throw  power,  it  is  claimed,  into  the  hands  of  a  native  aristocracy. 


230  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

shut  up  in  its  own  petty  basin,  incrusted  with  shells  and 
covered  with  sea-weed.  The  receding  tide  has  left  every 
pool  thus  isolated.  But  when  the  tide  comes  in  it  leaps 
over  those  walls  which  the  pool  could  not  surmount ;  it 
fills  each  to  the  brim ;  then  it  overflows,  and  finally  buries 
all  barriers  beneath  the  inrushing  and  uprising  flood.  So 
it  will  be  when  the  full  tide  of  God's  life  rolls  in  upon 
churches  and  missions  alike,  and  lifts  them  all  above  their 
petty  divisions  to  a  grand  common  life,  which  is  swayed 
by  the  currents  that  swing  round  the  world. 

The  Problem  of  Education. — In  the  preceding  chapter  I 
showed  the  natural  development  of  the  educational  work 
of  the  mission  ;  how,  commencing  as  a  rule  simply  in 
the  interests  of  evangelization,  the  educational  work  has 
grown  to  a  vast  system,  often  overshadowing  every  other 
form  of  mission  enterprise.  It  has  not  done  this,  however, 
without  opposition,  and  forms  to-day,  both  in  its  extent 
and  in  its  kind,  one  of  the  greatest  of  mission  problems. 

It  is  said,  on  the  one  hand,  that  this  vast  school  sys- 
tem finds  no  precedent  in  apostolic  missions ;  that  it  is 
comparatively  fruitless,  so  far  as  conversions  go ;  that  it  is 
most  expensive  work ;  that  in  its  higher  and  English  forms 
it  too  often  denationalizes  students,  unfitting  them  for  their 
home-life,  leaving  them  at  once  dissatisfied  with  small 
things  and  incompetent  for  great  things ;  that  it  diverts 
the  best  energies  of  the  mission  from  the  proper  field  of 
evangelistic  effort  and  secularizes  the  teachers ;  that  Christ 
sent  his  disciples  forth  to  teach  the  gospel,  not  to  teach 
science ;  and,  finally,  that  it  is  a  misuse  of  consecrated 
funds  and  a  degrading  of  the  ministerial  office. 

Forcible  replies  are  made  to  every  one  of  these  objections. 


The  Problems  of  3Iisslons  231 

The  apostles  did  not  teach  schools  for  one  reason — because 
they  neither  needed  nor  were  generally  qualified  to  do  it, 
Christianity  usually  standing  on  a  lower  level  of  culture 
than  those  it  evangelized.  But  they  had  the  compensating 
power  of  working  miracles  to  bear  witness  to  their  apostle- 
ship.  In  China,  science  discharges  a  similar  office  for  the 
missionary  to-day  that  miracles  did  then.  The  fruitlessness 
of  schools  is  not  greater,  it  is  claimed,  than  that  of  much 
other  work.  Evangelizing  is  often  carried  on  for  years 
with  no  apparent  result.  The  best  men  and  the  leaders 
of  the  Christian  church  are  more  and  more  the  graduates 
of  mission  schools  and  colleges.  Nor  need  the  expense  be 
great.  In  China  the  average  cost  of  a  common  day  scholar 
is  $3.50  a  year. 

Denationalizing  eiffects  are  partly  admitted,  being  re- 
garded as  inevitable,  and  partly  denied.  Bishop  Caldwell 
finds  his  English-trained  men  willing  to  work  in  any  of  the 
villages  of  Tinnevelly.  The  only  way  to  a  higher  national- 
ity lies,  it  is  claimed,  through  this  very  path.  Finally,  if 
school  work  justifies  itself  by  results,  it  is  neither  a  diver- 
sion of  energies,  a  misuse  of  funds,  nor  a  degradation  of 
the  ministry.  The  same  work  is  done  for  the  same  pur- 
poses at  home,  where  millions  of  consecrated  funds  are 
employed  in  Christian  education,  where  nine -tenths  of 
American  college  presidents  and  three-fourths  of  their  pro- 
fessors are  ministers. 

But  the  educationists  are  not  content  simply  to  reply  to 
objections.  They  are  an  aggressive  body,  and  make  much 
larger  claims  for  their  work.  Women  and  children  can  sel- 
dom be  reached  except  by  schools,  and  the  mission  must 
found,  as  it  has  founded,  an  extensive  system  of  zenana  and 
higher  female  education.     It  is  due  to  missions  almost  ex- 


232  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

clusively  that  while  in  1853  in  all  India  there  were  285  day- 
schools  for  girls,  with  9000  pupils,  in  1889  there  were  6608 
schools,  with  292,000  pupils.  And  of  289  school-mistress- 
es under  normal  training  in  Madras  Presbytery,  216  are  na- 
tive Christians.  That  missions  have  given  the  great  impulse 
to  woman's  education  in  all  mission  fields,  and  so  to  the  ele- 
vation of  womanhood,  there  can  be  absolutely  no  question. 
"We  might  well  be  content  to  let  the  whole  mission  cause 
stand  or  fall  by  the  value  of  that  work.  The  home  rather 
than  the  temple  is  the  citadel  of  heathenism.  And  schools 
for  women  and  children  are  among  the  most  potent  influ- 
ences for  breaking  into  this  home  and  lifting  it  out  of  its 
degradation.  The  converts  of  mission  colleges  may  be  few, 
but  they  are  men  of  mark — among  them  such  as  Narayan 
Sheshadri,  just  deceased,  through  whose  instrumentality 
2000  souls  of  the  Mango  were  converted.  It  is  also  found 
that  education  is  one  of  the  most  effective  means  of  evan- 
gelizing all  classes  whom  it  reaches,  quite  apart  from  its 
importance  in  training  up  Christian  teachers  and  ministers. 
But  there  is  another  plea  of  the  educationist,  which  is, 
perhaps,  the  strongest  argument  of  those  who  demand  not 
only  vernacular  schools  for  Christians,  but  a  complete  edu- 
cational system  for  all.  The  claim  is  made  that  there  is  no 
preparatory  agent  which  is  so  efficient  as  education,  and 
that  it  is  because  of  this  indirect  work  mainly  that  it  must 
be  pushed  to  such  a  high  pitch  of  development.  God  used 
many  long  processes  to  prepare  both  the  Jewish  and  the 
Gentile  world  for  the  entrance  of  the  gospel,  and  it  was  due 
to  this  preliminary  work  that  its  success  was  so  speedy. 
He  has  brought  about  among  us  a  marvellous  development 
of  universal  scientific  knowledge  at  the  same  time  that  he 
has  opened  wide  the  doors  of  the  world  as  the  sphere  in 


The  Problems  of  Missions  233 

vvliicli  we  are  to  use  that  knowledge  for  his  kingdom. 
Education  in  all  these  branches  is  at  once  the  key  to  hearts 
still  closed  by  prejudice  and  bigotry,  and  the  universal  sol- 
vent of  pagan  systems — "the  quinine  for  the  cure  of  India's 
fever,"  as  a  Hindu  pleader  put  it.  It  at  once  disintegrates 
the  old  superstitious  mythologies  and  idolatries,  and  pre- 
pares the  way  for  tlie  understanding  of  the  new  truth.  Al- 
most all  the  intercourse  which  the  missionaries  in  China 
have  with  natives  of  the  higher  classes  is  dependent  on  the 
fact  that  they  understand  western  science  and  are  qualified 
to  teach  or  practise  it.  The  native  day-schools  in  every 
city,  town,  and  hamlet,  it  is  said,  are  the  great  means  for 
imparting  and  maintaining  the  Confucian  system.  These 
teachers  are  the  chief  upholders  of  heathenism  in  China. 
The  schools  are  a  drill  in  heathenism.  A  Berlin  missionary 
once  introduced  Christian  teaching  into  138  such  schools, 
with  1500  scholars,  in  the  province  of  Quang-Tung.  If  this 
be  continued,  what  an  effect  it  must  produce !  Occupy 
such  schools  and  teach  those  teachers,  and  the  whole  land 
is  being  prepared. 

To  the  objection  that  all  this  is  very  slow,  discouraging 
work  the  apt  quotation  is  made  from  Archbishop  Whately  : 
"  The  man  that  is  in  a  hurry  to  see  the  full  effects  of  his 
tillage  must  cultivate  annuals  and  not  forest  trees."  If 
God  took  so  long  a  time  to  prepare  the  world  before  the 
times  were  ripe  for  Christ,  we  need  not  think  a  few  dec- 
ades long  for  preparing  India  and  China.  Besides  which, 
if  we  do  not  teach  science  and  all  the  higher  branches, 
others  hostile  or  indifferent  to  Christianity  will  do  so,  with 
the  result  of  a  cultured  scepticism.  And  if  we  teach  only 
the  few  preachers  and  teachers,  neglecting  the  masses,  we 
shall  build  up  the  worst  kind  of  priestocracy. 


234  Modern  Missions  in  tJie  East 

The  arguments  for  a  broad,  full  educational  system,  it 
will  be  seen,  are  strong.  It  must  be  remembered  tliat  the 
office  of  missionary  is  far  more  comprehensive  than  that 
of  home  pastor.  He  is  the  sole  representative  of  Christi- 
anity in  all  its  functions,  agencies,  and  developments.  We 
must  learn  also  to  judge  every  branch  of  the  mission  work, 
not  simply  by  what  it  is  for  itself,  but  quite  as  much  by 
what  it  is  and  does  in  co-operation  with  other  branches. 
It  is  not  a  congeries  of  detached  and  spasmodic  efforts,  but 
an  organic  whole,  and  it  must  be  judged  as  a  whole.  It  lays 
the  ten  fingers  of  its  two  hands  upon  the  heathen  body,  seek- 
ing by  their  combined  action  to  tear  away  the  rags  of  hea- 
thenism, cleanse  the  foul  form,  and  clothe  it  with  the  pure 
robes  of  Christ's  righteousness.  Every  department  has  its 
share.    The  part  of  education  is  quite  beyond  computation. 

When  all  this  has  been  said,  certain  dangers  remain 
which  must  be  carefully  guarded  against.  School  work  does 
tend  to  draw  men  from  evangelistic  work,  especially  in 
great  cities.  The  consequent  neglect  of  that  department  is 
greatly  to  be  deplored.  That  there  is  also  a  frequent  sec- 
ularization of  the  teaching  missionary  cannot  be  denied, 
especially  if  men  are  selected  at  home  for  their  teaching 
gifts  rather  than  for  their  missionary  zeal.  It  is  most  im- 
portant that  an  evangelistic  spirit  should  characterize  the 
mission  schools,  and,  for  this  and  other  reasons,  it  is  well 
if  every  teacher  be  expected  to  give  a  part  of  each  year  to 
direct  evangelistic  labor  among  the  heathen.  If  souls  are 
being  continually  converted  in  the  schools,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  they  will  be  converted  in  the  cities  and  the  villages. 

The  Problem  of  the  Native  Church. — The  central  prob- 
lem of  all  others  is  that  of  the  Native  Church.      It  is,  in 


The  Problems  of  3Iissions  235 

fact,  a  cluster  of  problems,  most  of  wliicli  can  be  wrought 
out  only  by  experience.  To  consider  them  will  take  us 
right  into  the  heart  of  the  mission  work. 

1.  There  is  the  question  of  accessions  to  the  native 
church.  What  shall  be  the  treatment  of  inquirers  and  con- 
verts ?  What  arguments  and  inducements  shall  be  used, 
what  help  rendered,  what  standard  imposed  ? 

2.  The  question  of  the  ministry  of  the  native  church. 
Who  shall  manage  the  training,  employment,  and  pay  of 
all  the  native  agents  ? 

3.  The  question  of  the  independence  of  the  native 
church,  its  self-government  and  self-support,  as  contrasted 
with  the  use  of  foreign  authority  and  foreign  money.  Shall 
ecclesiastical  independence  and  union  precede  or  follow 
financial  independence  ? 

4.  The  question  of  the  organization  of  the  native  church. 
What  shall  be  its  polity,  its  creed,  and  its  relation  to  other 
churches?  AYhat  the  ecclesiastical  place  and  function  of 
the  missionaries? 

As  to  the  treatment  of  converts  and  inquirers,  the  ex- 
perienced missionary  knows  that  the  motives  of  not  a  few 
who  come  to  him  are  mingled.  "  It  is  a  mongrel  mixture 
of  faith  and  hope  that  influences  many  of  them,"  said  Dr. 
Scudder,  at  Allahabad — "  faith  that  Christianity  is  in  all 
points  superior  to  the  religions  about  them,  and  hope  that 
it  will  bring  them  into  a  condition  of  prosperity  and  influ- 
ence above  that  of  their  heathen  neighbors." 

"  The  accessions  to  Christianity  in  Tinnevelly,"  remarked 
a  missionary  from  that  district  at  the  same  conference, 
"  have  not  generally  been  the  direct  result  of  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  either  by  Europeans  or  natives.  The 
hope  of  being  benefited  in  some  way  or  other  has,  in  very 


236  Modern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

many  instances,  been  the  influencing  motive  with  the  simple 
people  who  attached  themselves  to  the  missionaries."  The 
same  testimony  comes  from  men  in  all  lands.  Not  that 
many  of  these  converts  will  be  strictly  what  is  called  rice- 
Christians;  for  in  ordinary  times,  certainly,  the  mission  will 
take  care  to  discourage  expectation  of  alms  on  the  part  of 
inquirers.  But  there  may  be  hope  of  protection  from  op- 
pressive landlords  and  others,  hope  of  help  in  lawsuits,  or 
of  employment  and  education.  Or  still  more  generally 
there  may  be  a  vague  hope  of  benefit  from  linking  them- 
selves to  what  seems  a  stronger,  and,  perhaps,  better  cause, 
especially  in  times  of  famine,  flood,  sickness,  or  trouble  of 
any  sort.  Now,  shall  such  classes  be  sent  back  into 
heathenism  ?  If  not,  what  shall  be  done  with  them  ?  Any- 
thing is  better  than  turning  heathens  into  Pharisees. 

I  know  of  nothing  better  than  Avhat  was  written  by 
Bishop  Caldwell  a  few  years  ago.  He  says:  ''I  cannot 
imagine  any  person  who  has  lived  and  worked  amongst 
uneducated  heathens  in  the  rural  districts  believing  them 
to  be  influenced  by  high  motives  in  anything  they  do. 
They  have  never  heard  of  such  things  as  high  motives,  and 
they  cannot  for  a  long  time  be  made  to  comprehend  what 
high  motives  mean.  An  inquiry  into  their  motives,  with  a 
view  of  ascertaining  whether  they  are  spiritual  or  not,  will 
seem  to  them  like  an  inquiry  into  their  acquaintance  with 
Greek  or  algebra.  They  will  learn  what  good  motives 
mean,  I  trust,  in  time— and,  perhaps,  high  motives,  too— 
if  they  remain  long  enough  under  Christian  teaching  and 
discipline;  but  till  they  discard  heathenism,  with  its  debas- 
ing idolatries  and  superstitions,  and  place  themselves  under 
the  wings  of  the  church,  there  is  not  the  slightest  chance, 
as  it  appears  to  me,  of  their  motives  becoming  better  than 


The  Problems  of  3Ilssions  237 

they  are.  .  .  .  The  only  hope  for  them  lies  in  their  ad- 
mission as  soon  as  possible  into  Christ's  school.  .  .  .  What- 
ever the  motive,  provided  it  is  not  sordid  or  disgraceful, 
we  receive  them." 

In  accordance  with  this  sentiment,  the  marks  of  what  is 
called  the  Tinnevelly  system,  which  has  been  substantially 
adopted  in  the  Madura  and  Arcot  missions,  are  education 
and  discipline.  When  a  group  of  people,  say  three  families, 
are  ready  to  abjure  idolatry  and  be  taught  by  Christians, 
they  are  formed  into  what  is  called  a  Christian  congrega- 
tion. They  must  promise  to  abandon  idolatry,  to  worship 
the  true  God,  to  observe  the  Sabbath,  to  abstain  from  the 
use  of  flesh  that  has  died  of  itself,  and  to  give  up  all  caste 
distinctions. 

The  Arcot  Mission,  and,  I  presume,  the  Madura,  requires 
abstinence  from  intoxicating  drink.  The  Arcot  also  re- 
quires the  removal  of  the  kudumi,  or  tuft  of  hair  on  the 
crown  of  the  head,  which  they  regard  as  a  religious  badge. 
Thus,  having  come  over  to  the  Christians,  they  are  supplied 
with  a  catechist,  who  instructs  them,  and  are  disciplined 
into  the  observance  of  what  they  have  undertaken.  Slowly 
the  truth  gets  hold  of  some  of  them,  who  are  then  baptized, 
and,  after  a  few  years,  perhaps,  a  church  is  formed.  One 
of  the  greatest  difficulties  is  with  caste  distinctions,  which 
keep  springing  up  like  the  heads  of  the  hydra,  even  show- 
ing themselves  at  the  Lord's  table.  Finding  that  the  high- 
caste  men  tried  to  seat  themselves  in  front,  so  that  the 
bread  and  the  cup  should  be  first  passed  while  untouched 
to  them,  the  Madura  Mission  simply  made  the  rule  that  the 
order  should  be  reversed  in  the  distribution  of  the  ele- 
ments, the  one  beginning  in  front,  the  other  in  the  rear,  by 
which  the  first  were  made  last,  the  last  first. 


238  Modem  Missioiis  in  the  East 

In  the  Arcot  Mission  great  pains  are  taken  to  secure  in- 
termarriage between  the  castes.  This  education  of  the 
new-made,  perhaps  yet  unregenerate,  converts  is  a  slow, 
painful  process,  with  many  a  relapse  for  them  and  heart- 
ache for  the  missionary.  Yet  every  year  it  brings  them 
more  into  the  light.  One  difficulty  is  that  the  missionary 
or  catechist  often  stands  too  much  in  the  way  of  the  con- 
vert. As  one  has  put  it,  "  He  cannot  see  beyond  the  mis- 
sion-house and  the  mission  treasury.  The  missionary  is  a 
little  providence  to  him.  The  ambassador  has  taken  the 
place  of  the  king."  It  is  hard  to  avoid  this ;  yet  it  should 
be  carefully  guarded  against. 

But  at  every  step  of  this  upward  way  there  arise  prob- 
lems which  can  be  solved  only  by  that  sanctified  common- 
sense  which  ought  to  be  the  possession  of  every  missionary. 
All  his  experience  will  teach  him  that,  as  one  has  said, 
"  there  is  both  endogenous  and  exogenous  growth  in  the 
church  " — development  from  within,  accretion  from  without. 
There  is  room  for  both  in  the  spiritual  as  in  tho  vegetable 
kingdom. 

The  questions  concerning  the  native  ministry  are  still 
more  difficult.  John  Newton  once  said:  "Only  he  who 
made  the  worlds  can  make  a  minister  of  the  gospel."  If 
that  is  true  of  students  in  Christian  lands,  how  much  more 
so  of  one  saturated  with  the  heathenism  of  China  and 
India !  Yet  it  is  just  such  men  or  their  children  whom 
the  missionary  is  trying  to  train  up  to  that  sacred  office. 
In  this  class  are  included  Bible  readers,  male  and  female, 
catechists,  evangelists,  and  pastors— all,  in  fact,  who  are  in 
any  way  to  make  it  their  calling  to  serve  the  church. 

The  usual  method  has  been  to  select  the  most  hopeful 
bovs  at  school  and  train  them  specially  for  the  work,  partly 


The  Problems  of  Missions  239 

or  wholly  at  the  expense  of  the  mission.  But  the  results 
are  far  from  satisfactory.  The  brightest  of  such  men  are 
easily  enticed  away  from  a  calling  which  they  have  not 
adopted  from  a  mature  and  disinterested  choice.  Those 
who  remain  too  often  labor  in  a  perfunctory  spirit,  caring- 
more  for  employment  than  for  conversions.  Having  begun 
as  mission  students,  they  would  end  in  being  mission 
agents — the  missionaries'  "  hired  men."  Even  when  pas- 
tors, they  are  too  apt  to  be  simply  subservient  to  the  mis- 
sionary. 

For  all  these  reasons  it  is  growing  more  common  to  give 
a  broad  training  to  many  men,  and  to  depend  upon  the 
personal  call  to  the  ministry,  as  in  this  country.  Yet  some 
noble  men  have  been  trained  in  the  old  way.  At  present 
our  mission  colleges  supply  a  certain  quota  to  the  theologi- 
cal class,  while  workers  of  a  simpler  grade  are  called  in  as 
catechists  from  the  lower  schools. 

In  connection  with  these  educating  processes,  such  ques- 
tions arise  as :  Shall  they  be  trained  in  the  vernacular  only, 
or  shall  they  also  be  taught  the  English  language  ?  and 
how  far  shall  their  English  training  be  carried  ?  What  use, 
if  any,  shall  be  made  of  Latin,  Greek,  or  Hebrew  ?  How 
far  shall  they  be  taught  their  own  classics  and  religious 
books  ?  Shall  they  study  privately  with  a  missionary  or  be 
gathered  into  a  theological  class  or  seminary  ?  How  shall 
their  fitness  for  the  highest  training  be  tested  ?  How  shall 
the  theory  and  practice  of  the  work  be  combined  ?  Shall 
any  of  them  be  encouraged  to  complete  their  education  in 
Europe  or  America?  In  regard  to  all  these  points,  I  can 
only  say  that  there  is  need  in  every  country  of  a  few  men 
of  the  very  highest  gifts  and  training,  though  the  latter 
should  be  given  so  far  as  possible  in  their  own  land;     A 


340  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

great  number  of  men  are  needed  of  plain  biblical  vernacular 
training,  of  simple  habits  and  moderate  expectations,  who 
can  live  among  their  own  people,  and  be  supported  by  them. 
The  greatest  care  must  be  taken  not  to  denationalize  the  na- 
tive ministry — something  only  too  easy  in  India,  in  spite  of 
the  resistance  of  missionaries. 

The  question  of  the  employment  and  payment  of  these 
men  by  the  mission  is  one  of  greatest  difficulty.  It  touches 
at  once  moral  subservience  and  dissatisfaction,  if  not  rebel- 
lion. The  missionary  becomes  a  paymaster,  and  one  whose 
resources  are  supposed  to  be  unlimited.  Yet,  as  he  must 
cut  the  wages  down  to  the  lowest  notch,  constant  com- 
plaints are  heard,  until  bitterness  is  engendered  among  the 
mission  helpers.  This  is  by  no  means  always,  though  it  is 
often,  the  case.  I  know  of  no  way  in  which  the  evil  can 
be  more  than  alleviated.     The  fault  lies  in  the  system. 

That  appears  more  clearly  when  we  take  up  the  problem 
of  the  independence  of  the  native  church.  It  seems  to  lie 
in  the  very  principles  of  a  church  that  it  should  be  inde- 
pendent and  expansive,  self-supporting,  self-governing,  and 
self-propagating.  Anything  different  should  be  of  an  ex- 
ceptional and  temporary  character.  The  church  should  be 
at  least  founded  on  those  principles  and  always  moving 
towards  them.  Yet  it  must  be  confessed  that  a  large  part 
of  our  mission  work  does  not  rest  on  this  basis  of  the  in- 
dependence of  the  native  church,  or  even  move  towards  it. 
Another  large  part,  I  am  happy  to  say,  is  mainly  based  on 
that  principle,  and  always  striving  to  attain  that  end.  The 
whole  Japanese  mission  with  the  American  Board  at  the 
head,  some  work  in  China  of  the  Presbyterians,  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  and  others,  all  the  Church  Missionary 
Society  work  in  India,  the  American  Board  work  there, 


The  Prohlems  of  3Ilssions  241 

tlic  Baptist  work  in  Burmah,  the  Ilarpoot  Mission  and  the 
United  Presbyterian  work  in  Egypt — all  these  occur  to  me 
as  excellent  instances  of  work  along  the  true  line  of  an  inde- 
pendent church.  But  there  has  been,  on  the  whole,  a  great 
failure  to  attack  the  problem  at  the  right  point  and  aim 
straight  for  this  independence  of  the  native  church.  Many 
causes  have  conspired  to  prevent  this.     Among  these  are : 

(1)  The  necessary  inexperience  of  the  early  missionaries; 

(2)  the  failure  to  see  that  the  aim  of  mission  work  is  not 
simply  the  conversion  of  souls,  but  the  founding  of  the 
native  church ;  (3)  an  exaggerated  estimate  of  the  poverty 
of  the  people  and  of  the  difficulty  of  their  supporting  their 
religious  leaders ;  (4)  the  unconscious  growth,  in  some 
cases,  of  a  spirit  of  domination,  which  leads  the  mission 
too  often  to  exalt  itself  above  the  native  church.  The  lan- 
guage of  the  mission  to  the  church  and  of  the  missionary 
to  the  native  pastor  should  be  the  language  of  John  the 
Baptist  to  Jesus,  "  Thou  must  increase,  but  I  must  de- 
crease." The  rare  quality  of  self-effacement  is  required  to 
do  this ;  but  that  is  a  requisite  for  the  missionary.  "  He 
that  loseth  his  life  shall  find  it." 

Despite  many  instances  of  generosity,  I  think  it  could 
be  shown  that  the  native  Christians,  in  most  cases,  do  not 
contribute  as  much  in  proportion  to  the  gospel  as  the 
heathen  contribute  to  their  false  religions.  There  are  two 
reasons  for  this.  The  first  is  that  from  the  start  they  lean 
on  the  missionaries,  and  cease  to  think  it  a  duty  to  give, 
whereas  heathenism  exacts  a  fee  or  an  offering  for  every- 
thing. The  second  reason  is  that  in  the  heathen  doctrine 
of  righteousness  the  idea  of  merit  is  connected  with  giving 
in  a  way  which  is  not  permitted  in  evangelical  Christianity. 
A  Hindu  or  Buddhist  heaps  up  merit  by  every  one  of  his 

16 


242  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

benefactions  as  a  permanent  gain  for  eternity,  whereas 
Christianity  allows  no  merit  to  the  deed  disjoined  from  the 
motive.  The  appeal  of  heathenism  is,  for  both  of  these 
reasons,  stronger  than  that  of  Christianity,  until  the  con- 
vert grows  to  maturity  and  is  inflamed  with  generous  love. 

It  is  true  that  in  many  cases  the  poverty  of  the  people 
is  intensified  by  their  avowal  of  Christianity,  which  strips 
thera  of  everything  ;  yet  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  the 
condition  of  a  Christian  community  is  usually  bettered, 
while  the  spirit  of  giving  does  not  always  increase  in  pro- 
portion. Then,  too,  the  old  system  of  largely  using  for- 
eign money  is  apt  to  enlist  the  native  agent  against  inde- 
pendence. How  can  a  man  who  receives  nine  dollars  a  month 
from  the  mission  be  expected  to  advocate  a  self-supporting 
church  which  could  give  him  at  best  but  six  dollars  a  month, 
with  greater  labors,  increased  trials,  and  much  uncertainty. 
In  the  American  Board  Mission  in  Foo-chow,  some  years 
ago,  a  man  whom  all  judged  lit  to  be  pastor  refused  to 
be  ordained.  The  whole  reason  was  that  he  had  formerly 
taught  that  all  contributions  were  a  matter  of  charity  ; 
therefore  he  did  not  dare  to  say  to  the  native  church,  "You 
must  give  me  my  support."  In  the  same  place,  however, 
connected  with  the  Methodist  Mission,  was  a  pastor,  Sia 
Sek  Ong,  who  at  an  annual  meeting  in  1871  declared  that 
he  was  hindered  in  his  work  by  the  oft-reiterated  charge 
of  "  eating  the  foreigners'  rice  and  speaking  the  foreigners' 
words,"  and  that  he  had  resolved  he  would  not  thereafter 
receive  a  dollar  of  foreign  money,  but  would  trust  to  native 
support. 

Foreign  authority,  as  well  as  foreign  money,  has  hin- 
dered the  independence  of  the  native  church — often  with 
benefit,  it  is  true ;  for  there  is  great  need  of  guidance  and 


TJie  Problems  of  3Iissions  243 

restraint.  Bat  among  a  dependent  people  it  is  hard  to 
know  where  to  check  authority  and  develop  self-respect  and 
self-control. 

Of  all  these  difficulties  and  mistakes,  there  are  no  keener 
critics  than  missionaries  themselves.  Yet  it  is  exceedino-ly 
hard  for  those  who  are  bound  up  in  such  a  system  to  re- 
form that  which  they  criticise.  Hence  it  is  often  the  duty 
of  the  Home  Board  to  interfere,  and  give  the  missionaries 
not  only  authority,  but  instructions  for  changes,  however 
painful  they  may  be. 

I  am  glad  to  say  that  the  policy  of  the  American  Board, 
particularly  in  India  and  Japan,  is  surpassed  by  none  in  its 
effectiveness  in  building  up  the  native  church.  In  China 
and  parts  of  Turkey  its  principles  could  perhaps  be  more 
stringently  applied  with  benefit.  There  is  not  in  all  Tur- 
key a  finer  instance  of  an  independent  native  church  than 
at  Adabazar,  nor  in  all  India  than  in  the  Congregational 
Church  at  Bombay,  nor  in  Japan  than  the  four  Congrega- 
tional churches  at  Osaka. 

I  think  it  important  in  this  connection  to  state  how  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  meets  this  problem  of  indepen- 
dence and  organization  at  once.  The  plan  is  carried  out  in 
India,  China,  Japan,  and  other  countries,  and  has  shown 
itself  most  efficient.  Every  church  has  a  native  church 
committee,  consisting  of  the  pastor  as  chairman  and  at  least 
three  lay  communicants.  Not  more  than  one-third  of  the 
laymen  may  be  paid  agents  of  the  society  or  of  the  native 
church.  This  committee  has  charge  of  local  affairs.  Next 
above  it  is  a  district  native  church  council,  consistino-  of 
two  lay  delegates  from  each  qualified  church  committee,  of 
all  the  native  clergy  in  connection  with  the  council,  and  a 
chairman,  usually  a  missionary,  who  has  a  veto  on  all  pro- 


244  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

ceedings.  This  council  receives  the  funds  of  all  the  churcli 
committees  and  all  other  funds,  and  disburses  from  them  the 
salaries  of  native  pastors  and  other  agents.  It  also  makes 
grants  for  erection  or  repair  of  churches  and  houses.  It 
sends  in  to  the  parent  society  the  estimates  of  expenses, 
receives  reports  of  all  work,  develops  voluntary  work,  set' 
ties  all  salaries  and  allowances,  and  recommends  new  pas- 
torates. When  necessary  there  is  a  provincial  council, 
similarly  constituted  by  representation  from  the  district 
councils.  Here,  then,  is  a  complete  system  of  native  gov- 
ernment. The  missionary  force  is  sufficiently  represented 
by  the  chairman  witli  veto  power.  All  the  rest  develops 
the  native  church.  Grants-in-aid  are  made  to  complete  the 
amounts  raised  by  these  councils,  but  these  grants  are 
diminished  a  certain  per  cent,  every  year. 

There  are  some  points  settled  by  experience,  which  may 
be  called  axioms  in  the  science  of  missions.  Though  they 
now  seem  perfectly  obvious,  they  were  not  so  at  first,  and 
have  been  reached  only  through  years  of  struggle  and  fre- 
quent failure. 

1.  The  native  church  in  each  country  should  be  organ- 
ized as  a  distinct  church,  ecclesiastically  independent  of 
the  church  in  any  other  country. 

2.  The  pastorate  of  the  native  church  should  be  a  native 
pastorate.  Whatever  else  the  missionary  is,  he  should  not 
be  pastor. 

3.  The  principles  of  self-control,  self-help,  and  self-ex- 
tension should  be  recognized  in  the  very  organization  of 
the  church.  To  postpone  them  to  days  of  strength  is  to 
postpone  both  strength  and  blessing. 

But  in  organizing  the  native  church  thus  independently, 
what  form  shall  be  given  to  it  ?    What  shall  be  its  polity  ? 


The  Problems  of  3fissio)is  245 

It  is  natural  that  every  missionary  society  should  think 
its  own  form  of  government  the  best,  and  should  proceed 
to  shape  the  native  church  after  the  same  pattern.  It  must 
have  some  form.  The  natives  are  not  yet  competent  to  de- 
vise their  own  form.  What  else  can  be  done?  Presby- 
terian societies  will  form  Presbyterian  churches  ;  Methodist 
societies,  Methodist  churches,  etc.  But  there  are  certain 
things  which  should  not  be  done.     These  are : 

1.  No  purely  local  or  historical  features  should  be  intro- 
duced into  the  constitution  of  the  new  churches.  Think 
of  the  absurdity  of  requiring  native  converts  at  Calcutta  to 
assent  to  the  principles  contained  in  the  Deed  of  Demis- 
sion in  1843  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland.  On  the 
other  hand,  regard  should  be  had  to  the  local  peculiarities 
of  the  people,  utilizing  rather  than  antagonizing  national 
traits.  More  or  less  ritual  may  seem  required  in  different 
countries,  and  a  greater  or  less  degree  of  authority; 

2.  The  first  organization  given  a  native  church  cannot 
well  be  anything  more  than  tentative.  As  the  church  de- 
velops it  will  choose  its  own  form  and  make  its  own 
changes ;  therefore, 

3.  No  unnecessary  obstacles  should  be  laid  in  the  way 
of  the  union  of  native  Christians  on  an  evangelical  basis. 
In  the  beginning,  before  the  new  communities  have  crystal- 
lized, it  will  be  easy  for  them  to  flow  together.  Later  on 
the  process  will  be  more  diflicult. 

4.  As  to  creeds,  loyalty  and  simplicity  are  the  only 
rules. 

In  short,  the  native  church  must  be  an  oriental  church — 
an  Indian,  Chinese,  Japanese  church.  We  must  not,  cannot, 
denationalize,  occidentalize  it  into  European  forms,  which 
would  be  alien  and  destructive  to  it.    Yet  somethinir  of  the 


246  3Iodern  Missions  in  the  East 

counteracting  occidental  elements  must  be  infused  into  the 
blood  of  the  church  if  we  would  not  have  it  die  of  oriental- 
ism. The  hardy  tenacity  of  the  West  should  be  used  to  tone 
up  the  more  dependent  and  flexible  oriental.  The  fault  of 
the  Indian  convert  is  weakness  of  character;  that  of  the 
Chinese  convert,  weakness  of  piety.  Each  of  these  should 
be  counterbalanced  by  some  special  gift  from  the  AVest. 
How  is  this  to  be  done  ?  Not,  it  seems  to  me,  by  expecting 
the  young  and  immature  churches  to  accept  our  formu- 
lated western  creeds  or  go  much  beyond  the  Apostles'  and 
Nicene  Creeds.  We  shall  do  most  by  our  training  of  the 
native  ministry.  They  are  the  men  who  will  form  the 
faith  of  the  church.  If  few  minds  of  theological  original- 
ity or  independence  have  as  yet  appeared  among  them  it  is 
not  strange.  All  the  results  of  eighteen  centuries  of  occi- 
dental development  are  presented  to  them  in  a  few  les- 
sons. It  is  simply  overwhelming.  AVhat  else  can  they 
do  for  a  long  time  than  try  to  grasp  it?  The  memory  is 
the  universal  talent  in  the  East.  Fancy,  too,  is  active ;  but 
thought  is  rare.  They  are  still  childish  races.  Since  they 
are  thus  plastic  under  our  hands,  we  must  be  the  more 
careful  not  to  fetter  but  to  free  them.  Biblical  theology, 
history  of  doctrine,  should  be  carefully  taught.  The  knowl- 
edge of  our  conflicts  with  Ebionitism  and  Gnosticism, 
Arianism  and  Socinianism,  Pelagianism  and  Manicheism, 
with  Deism  and  Pantheism,  will  prepare  them  for  their 
coming  conflicts.  Some  profit  must  accrue  to  them  from  the 
experience,  errors,  and  victories  of  the  western  as  wtU  as 
from  the  defeats  of  the  eastern  churches. 

Yet  they  must  have  their  own  experience,  fight  their  own 
battles,  and  gain  their  own  spoils.  The  new  upspringing  ori- 
ental churches  cannot  always  be  held  in  leading-strings,  even 


The  Problems  of  3Ilsslons  347 

at  tlie  risk  of  error.  Our  weapons  of  defence  and  offence  will 
often  prove  but  Saul's  armor  to  the  stripling  church.  Nor 
must  we  fear  to  see  this  young  David  go  out  to  meet  giant 
Error,  even  though  lie  seem  armed  with  only  a  sling.  The 
Lord,  who  has  already  delivered  the  native  church  out  of 
the  paw  of  the  lion  Paganism,  may  be  trusted  to  give  it 
the  victory  over  Goliath  Error  and  Philistine  Schism.  We 
may  perhaps  furnish  the  sling — the  slender  outline  of 
thought;  they  must  themselves  pick  up  the  stone  from 
their  native  brooks.  Other  churches  besides  the  young 
Japanese  United  Church  will  doubtless  pledge  respect 
rather  than  adhesion  to  our  great  confessions.  Their 
spiritual  debt  to  us  must  be  immense  in  any  case,  but  the 
sum  of  it  will  be,  not  that  we  have  infused  them  with  our 
isms,  but  that  we  have  inspired  them  with  Christ,  and 
brought  them  back  to  those  oriental  sources  and  streams 
from  which  our  western  currents  have  flowed.  Surely  Con- 
fucius and  Buddha  may  be  expected  to  have  as  great  forma- 
tive influence  upon  oriental  theology,  so  soon  as  the  in- 
grafted truth  begins  to  have  its  own  development,  as  Plato 
and  Aristotle  have  always  exercised  upon  western  theol- 
ogies. It  is  in  this  way  that  the  oriental  original  con- 
tributions to  theology  will  be  some  day  joined  to  the  con- 
tributions of  the  Occident  to  form  that  ripe  and  genuine 
theosophy  which  will  embody  the  complete  experience  of 
the  truly  apostolic  and  catholic  church. 

In  regard  to  the  polity  of  the  Indian  church,  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  five  years  ago,  passed  the  following 
suggestive  resolution : 

"  The  society  deprecates  any  measure  of  church  organ- 
ization which  may  tend  permanently  to  subject  the  native 
Christian  communities  in  India  to  the  forms  and  arrange- 


248  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

ments  of  the  national  and  established  church  of  a  far  dis- 
tant and  very  different  country,  and  therefore  desires  that 
all  present  arrangements  for  church  organization  should  re- 
main as  elastic  as  possible,  until  the  native  Christians  them- 
selves shall  be  numerous  and  powerful  enough  to  have  a 
dominant  voice  in  the  formation  of  an  ecclesiastical  consti- 
tution on  lines  suitable  to  the  Indian  people — a  constitu- 
tion which  the  society  trusts  will,  while  maintaining  full 
communion  with  the  Church  of  England,  be  such  as  to  pro- 
mote the  unity  of  Indian  Christendom." 

And  for  the  contribution  of  Christian  graces  whicli  we 
may  expect  from  the  Indian  church,  and  which  will  form 
the  basis  of  all  contributions  of  thought,  I  will  quote  from 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Kay : 

''  The  catholic  church  cannot  attain  to  its  proper  nor- 
mal condition  in  any  part  till  it  has  embraced  within  itself 
the  whole  range  of  humanity.  Every  nation  has  its  con- 
tribution of  moral  qualities  to  give  to  the  catholic  church. 
I  am  persuaded  that  the  view  which  makes  the  Greek, 
Latin,  and  Gothic  races  to  have  exhausted  all  that  is  of  es- 
sential importance  to  the  habilitatiou  of  humanity  is  a  pro- 
found error.  I  believe  that  the  Hindu,  for  instance,  has 
many  noble  qualities — lofty  idealism,  singular  strength  of 
self-devotion,  marvellous  power  of  endurance — along  with 
natural  aptitude  for  many  of  the  gentler  virtues,  which  we 
may  not  rank  very  high,  but  on  which  our  Saviour  has 
stamped  his  indelible  approbation  in  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount.  These  virtues  and  others  akin  to  them,  such  as 
patience  and  temperance,  seem  peculiarly  calculated  to  find 
exceptional  development  in  such  a  church  as  we  may  find 
taking  the  place  of  the  present  dark  superstitions  of  India." 

In  regard  to  the  future  of  the  native  church,  the  great 


The  ProUems  of  3Iissions  249 

need  is  life  from  on  liigli.  While  there  are  noble  exam- 
ples of  Christian  piety,  and  while  great  immaturity  both  of 
thought  and  character  must  be  expected,  there  is  by  no 
means  that  zeal  for  extending  the  gospel  which  we  might 
hope  for.  There  is  sometimes  manifest  the  disposition  to 
keep  to  themselves  the  advantages  of  their  new  position. 
The  children  of  the  first  and  second  generations  are  often 
only  what  might  be  expected,  seeing  that  they  grow  up  in 
the  midst  of  heathen  surroundings,  where  we  would  not 
dare  to  trust  our  own  children. 

The  great  problem,  how  to  preserve  and  revive  the  life 
of  the  native  church,  is  to  be  answered  only  by  prayer — by 
ourselves  receiving  a  higher  life  and  sharing  it  with  them 
until  the  gift  is  directly  communicated  to  them,  and  im- 
parted in  turn  from  them  to  us. 

There  are  many  other  problems  of  every  variety  which 
press  on  the  mind  of  the  missionary. 

There  are  literary  questions  of  greatest  importance  in 
translation  and  composition.  AVhat  terms  shall  be  used 
for  God^  for  Baptism,  for  Sin,  and  many  other  words? 
AVhat  shall  be  the  style  used — classic  or  popular?  Shall 
the  translation  be  free  and  idiomatic,  or  exact  and  literal  ? 
Shall  familiar  terms  havinsr  evil  associations  be  res^ener- 
ated,  or  new  terms  be  introduced  ?  Shall  the  Bible  soci- 
eties circulate  Bibles  as  now  demanded  in  China,  ivith  notes 
and  comments,  or  adhere  to  their  old  rule,  "  The  Bible 
without  note  or  comment  V 

There  are  doctrinal  questions,  such  as  the  relation  of  our 
eschatology  to  the  doctrine  of  metempsychosis,  to  the  wor- 
ship of  dead  ancestors,  and  to  other  oriental  speculations ; 
the  relation  of  the  Christian  doctrine  of  the  incarnation  to 
the  Hindu  and  Buddhist  incarnations. 


250  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

There  are  etliical  problems  of  great  importance  and  dif- 
ficulty. What  shall  be  the  treatment  of  polygamous  con- 
verts ?  What  the  standard  of  life  and  character  demanded 
of  the  native  converts,  especially  the  native  agents?  Is 
secret  baptism  ever  to  be  allowed  ?  Should  baptism  follow 
instantly  upon  confession  ?  How  utilize  the  filial  piety 
manifested  in  ancestor  worship  without  encouraging  idola- 
try ? 

There  are  practical  questions,  such  as,  Has  asceticism  any 
place  in  mission  labor?  Shall  celibate  brotherhoods  be 
organized  and  employed  ?  What  use  can  be  made  of  lay 
evangelists  ?  Should  offers  of  service  for  a  limited  time  be 
sought  or  received  ?  How  secure  support  for  destitute  Chris- 
tians who  have  become  impoverished  through  their  adhe- 
rence to  Christ  ?  How  help  and  not  harm  them,  sustain  and 
not  pauperize  ?  Shall  they  be  gathered  in  a  sepai'ate  Chris- 
tian community  clustering  around  the  mission-house  ?  or 
shall  they  be  sent  back  to  endure  hardship  and  temptation 
in  their  native  villages  ?  How  far  shall  they  be  assisted 
in  their  lawsuits  in  defence  of  their  rights  ?  Shall  the  tith- 
ing system  be  made  practically  compulsory  among  mission 
agents  ? 

There  are  also  special  problems  in  Turkish  dominions 
touching  the  relations  of  our  work  to  the  old,  corrupt 
Christian  churches — the  Coptic,  Syrian,  Gregorian,  Greek, 
etc.  But  these  lie  outside  the  limits  of  this  discussion,  and 
can  here  be  only  referred  to. 

It  is  a  great  point  gained  to  know  of  the  existence  of 
problems  of  this  character.  It  is  another  advance  if  we 
can  simply  put  in  the  correct  way  the  question  that  is  to 
be  answered.  My  object  in  presenting  these  problems  is 
secured  if  the  reader  is  led  to  an  increased  sense  of  the 


Tlie  Problems  of  3Iissions  251 

claim  a  work  full  of  such  peculiar  perplexities  has  on  the 
very  best  preparation,  wisdom,  heroism,  and  consecration 
that  Christendom  can  furnish.  The  very  cream  of  our  in- 
stitutions, the  flower  of  our  young  manhood,  the  service  of 
our  whole  lives — these  are  none  too  much  for  a  work  whose 
dignity  is  just  in  proportion  to  its  diflSculty,  whose  joy 
and  reward  is  measured  by  its  demands  on  the  best  we 
have  to  give. 

To  the  eye  of  Faith  the  prospect  is  sure  and  clear.  The 
kingdom  comes.  But  for  the  speeding  of  the  victory  there 
are  certain  desiderata  which  must  be  named : 

1.  Wanted — A  first-class  mission  journal  for  the  compre- 
liensive,  scholarly,  scientific  treatment  of  mission  life,  labor, 
and  problems.  Such  a  journal  should  be  neither  a  personal 
nor  sectarian  organ.  It  must  have  substantial  backing, 
however,  and  would  perhaps  flourish  best  in  the  hands  of 
one  denomination  if  broad  enough  to  include  reference  to 
the  whole  work  of  the  church.  Catholic,  experienced  mis- 
sionaries should  be  on  its  staff,  if  not  at  its  head.  The 
scrappy,  superficial,  mutilated,  one-sided  reports,  and  the 
emotional,  sensational  appeals  which  so  often  characterize 
mission  periodicals  may  have  their  reason  and  their  place. 
But  to  them  should  be  added  a  candid,  faithful,  inspiring 
survey  of  the  work  in  its  reality,  its  variety,  its  difficulty, 
its  dignity  ;  in  its  bearing  on  the  work  at  home  ;  in  its  rela- 
tion to  the  problems  and  the  salvation  of  the  universe.  The 
work  just  taken  up  by  the  Independent^  through  the  able 
supervision  of  Rev.  Edwin  Bliss,  editor  of  the  Encyclopcedia 
of  Missions,  is  in  many  points  a  sample  of  what  we  want 
done.  The  Church  Missionary  Intelligencer,  organ  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  is  facile  princeps  ^mor\g  dWswdh. 
journals.     Add  a  little  more  vivacity  and  comprehensive- 


352  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

ness,  nothing  better  could  be  desired.  Among  Congrega- 
tionalists  this  want  might  be  met  by  the  still  further  en- 
largement and  improvement  of  the  Missio7iary  Herald,  al- 
ready one  of  the  best  journals  of  its  class. 

2.  Wanted — Peripatetic  mission  secretaries,  who  shall  at 
regular  intervals  visit  and  study  the  field  of  which  they 
have  the  charge.  Itinerating  secretaries  are  just  as  nec- 
essary as  itinerating  missionaries.  A  Methodist  bishop 
makes  the  tour  of  the  world  for  purposes  of  inspection 
twice  in  every  quadrennium.  The  Presbyterian  secretaries 
have  all  visited  their  respective  fields.  I  journeyed  sev- 
eral days  with  Mr.  Wigram,  Secretary  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  while  he  was  making  his  tour.  One  of 
the  desires  most  often  expressed  to  me  by  the  mission- 
aries of  the  American  Board  was  to  see  the  secretaries  on 
their  field.  Of  course,  such  a  visit  should  not  be  an  auto- 
cratic tour,  revolutionizing,  tearing  things  up  by  the  roots ; 
but  a  journey  for  investigation,  consultation,  encourage- 
ment, and  report  would  be  welcomed  everywhere  as  a 
boon. 

3.  Wanted — A  lectureship  or  professorship  of  missionics 
in  every  theological  seminary.  We  should  assume  that 
some  of  the  graduates  of  these  institutions  will  go  abroad 
and  should  be  trained  for  that  purpose,  while  all  should  be 
trained  to  intelligent  co-operation  and  sympathy. 

4.  Wanted — The  discussion  of  mission  topics  and  prob- 
lems at  our  ministerial  and  ecclesiastical  gatherings.  If 
the  mission  work  is  at  once  the  most  arduous  and  glorious 
of  enterprises,  and  one  of  the  deepest  and  broadest  of  sci- 
ences, it  should  take  its  proper  place  in  the  consideration 
of  the  church  at  home.  No  theme  presented  at  our  asso- 
ciations   and    conferences  can  surpass  it   in   interest   and 


The  Problems  of  3Ilsslo)is  253 

fruitfulness.  We  listen  to  many  stirring  appeals  from  sec- 
retaries ;  we  are  kept  informed  as  to  certain  features  of 
tbe  work.  But  it  is  all  too  much  like  the  kodak  prescrip- 
tion, "  You  press  the  button,  we  do  the  rest."  "  You  con- 
tribute, we  do  tiie  rest."  Whereas  if  lieart,  intellect,  con- 
science be  alike  aroused  by  the  serious  study  of  the  work, 
and  of  God's  providence  and  purpose  in  it,  both  means  and 
men  w^ould  be  forthcoming  in  abundance. 

5.  Wanted  —  Direct  participation  by  the  churches  in  the 
administration  of  the  mission  work.  Volunteer  societies 
and  close  corporations  are  often  a  necessary  makeshift 
when  the  church  is  not  as  yet  awake  to  its  privileges.  But 
the  true  mission  society  is  the  church  itself,  and  every- 
thing else,  should  only  prepare  for  the  time  when  the 
church  shall  administer  its  great  enterprise.  Various 
methods  of  securing  this  participation  are  practicable.  I 
do  not  undertake  to  specify  them  ;  I  only  emphasize  the 
need.  For  both  the  expression  and  the  creation  of  the 
mission  sentiment  in  the  church,  for  the  enlargement  and 
improvement  of  the  mission  work  abroad,  one  of  the  most 
important  wants  is  that  the  church  should  representatively 
be  its  own  administrator. 

6.  Wanted — A  volunteer  band  to  take  possession  of  some 
district  in  China  or  India  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  just 
as  such  bands  have  labored  in  the  foundation  of  Christian 
States  in  Illinois,  Iowa,  Dakota,  and  Washington.  The 
first  members  of  this  band  should  begin  work  under  the  su- 
pervision of  experienced  missionaries.  They  should  be  re- 
inforced from  year  to  year  by  fresh  recruits.  Men  should 
be  trained  with  reference  to  this  special  work  and  its 
needs.  Men  of  the  same  institution  at  home  should  more 
and  more  assume  the  support  of  the  whole  field,  until  it  be- 


254  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

comes  like  the  universities'  missions  in  Africa  and  India. 
One  of  the  greatest  secrets  of  success  is  thorough  com- 
patibility and  hearty  friendship  among  coworkers.  A  large 
degree  of  this  might  be  expected  in  such  a  mission. 

7.  Wanted — Finally,  a  more  robust  and  courageous  faith 
in  missions  and  in  God  and  the  church.  From  beginning 
to  end  this  is  an  enterprise  of  faith.  There  is  no  other  ar- 
gument and  evidence  that  will  always  and  everywhere  hold 
good  save  the  evidence  from  the  promises  and  the  nature 
of  God  as  revealed  in  our  Lord  the  Christ.  History,  ex- 
perience, statistics,  reasonings,  everything  of  this  sort  will 
at  times  seem  to  lose  its  convincing,  sustaining  power.  If 
faith  is  not  supreme  we  shall  fail. 

But  it  must  be  a  robust,  courageous,  manly  faith — a  faith 
that  can  see,  declare,  and  endure  the  truth,  whatever  it 
may  be ;  a  faith  that  can  discern  all  the  hardships,  difficul- 
ties, perplexities  in  the  way,  and  be  not  only  undeterred, 
but  rather  inspired  thereby ;  that  can  acknowledge  mis- 
takes and  admit  failure  where  it  has  occurred,  and  then  be 
strong  and  rich  enough  to  utilize  success  when  it  comes 
with  its  added  demands  and  responsibilities. 

A  timid,  distrustful  faith,  that  keeps  back  part  of  the 
facts  lest  the  church  should  be  discouraged  ;  that  will  not 
imitate  Christ  by  declaring  the  difficulties  in  the  way  lest 
men  should  be  kept  from  following  him  ;  a  faith  more 
known  for  "judiciousness"  than  for  courageousness — this 
can  hardly  be  called  a  faith  at  all.  It  certainly  is  not  the 
faith  Christ  expects  from  those  he  sends  forth  in  his 
name.  The  gospel  appeals  to  the  heroism  latent  in  every 
child  of  God ;  it  stimulates  by  difficulty,  it  clarifies  by  per- 
plexity, it  thrusts  men  out  upon  divine  grace  through  the 
sense  it  breeds  of  human  need  and  weakness.     A  supreme 


Tlie  Problems  of  Missions  255 

faith  in  Christ,  his  gospel  and  liis  church,  will  lead  volun- 
teers to  flock  into  the  lists  as  men  spring  to  a  forlorn  hope, 
where  many  may  fall  but  the  enterprise  must  succeed. 
Such  a  faith  will  insist  on  knowing  the  whole  truth  and  will 
dare  the  worst. 

Let  our  societies  and  our  churches  have  such  faith,  and 
they  will  trust  one  another  more.  Out  of  defeat  will  spring 
victory.  The  very  acknowledgment  of  disaster  when  it 
comes  will  enlist  recruits,  and  the  men  who  thus  enlist  will 
be  true  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ. 

As  I  journeyed  from  station  to  station,  from  land  to 
land,  I  was  sometimes  quite  bewildered  in  the  multiplicity 
of  detail  seen  in  church  after  church,  and  school  after 
school.  But  by  degrees  something  emerged  from  all  this 
detail  which,  as  its  proportions  gradually  revealed  them- 
selves, I  saw  to  be  the  grandest  thing  my  eyes  had  ever 
beheld.  It  was  lovelier  than  the  Taj  Mahal,  nobler  than 
the  Parthenon,  more  enduring  than  the  pyramids.  It 
was  nothing  less  than  the  form  of  the  universal  kino-- 
dom  of  God  springing  up  on  earth,  the  New  Jerusalem 
coming  down  from  heaven.  I  came  more  and  more  to  see 
how  all  men  who  are  laboring  anywhere,  anyhow,  for 
Christ,  at  home,  abroad,  in  public,  in  secret,  are  building 
up  this  kingdom,  are  drawing  down  this  holy  city.  If  we 
yield  obedience,  God  will  utter  the  command  and  impart 
the  wisdom.  It  is  enough  if  the  study  of  these  world- 
problems  may  simply  lead  us  to  utter  from  the  heart  these 
two  sentences  : 

"  That  which  I  see  not  teach  thou  me." 

"  That  the  excellency  of  the  power  may  be  of  God." 


CHAPTER   X 

SKETCHES    FROM    THE    MISSION    FIELD 

The  Picture  of  a  Fourth-of-July  Sunday  Spent  among  the  Mountains 
in  the  Course  of  a  Jinrikisha  Trip  Across  Japan 

Equipped  with  a  small  stock  of  Japanese  words  and 
of  American  canned  foods,  I  had  set  forth  from  Tokio 
the  very  last  of  June  for  a  journey  along  the  mountain 
road,  the  Nakasendo,  that  should  land  me  in  Kioto,  the 
old  capital  of  the  country.  Nikko,  the  Walhalla  of  Japan, 
with  its  superb  shrines,  temples,  groves,  gardens,  cascades, 
lakes,  and  peaks,  had  been  already  visited  in  company  with 
two  missionary  friends.  The  railroad,  shooting  up  towards 
the  north,  carried  me  some  miles  on  my  way.  Then  be- 
gan the  ride  in  the  jinrikisha,  that  miniature  gig,  or  Pull- 
man-car, with  its  human  horses  slipping  along  thirty,  forty, 
fifty  miles  a  day  —  a  conveyance  said  to  have  been  in- 
vented by  a  Baptist  missionary  in  Japan  for  a  sick  wife. 
The  ascent  of  Asama-Yama,  some  8300  feet  high,  most 
baleful  of  volcanoes,  was  made,  to  find  one's  self  hidden 
between  fog  from  without  and  smoke  from  within  the  moun- 
tain, and  enveloped  in  sulphurous  smells  which  enlarged 
one's  imaginative  possibilities  of  the  conception  of  hell. 

My  slender  stock  of  Japanese  nouns,  pronouns,  and  ad- 
jectives— for  the  verb  I  abjured — had  carried  me  along 
well,  and  1  found  myself  safe  and  happy  in  the  hands  of 


Sketches  from  the  3Hssio7i  Field  257 

tlie  most  courteous  and  graceful  people  in  the  world.  It 
so  chanced  that  Sunday  and  the  Fourth  of  July  fell  to- 
gether this  year.  I  had  looked  out  on  the  map  a  spot 
which  seemed  appropriate  for  the  double  holiday.  So, 
early  Saturday  afternoon,  having  deposited  my  passport 
with  the  courteous  police-officer  at  the  entrance  of  the  vil- 
lage, I  was  drawn  up  to  the  lovely  little  inn  Fuji,  at  the 
romantic  village  of  Sakarazawa,  hidden  away  in  a  quiet 
noolv  in  the  heart  of  the  mountains,  just  at  the  foot  of  the 
pass,  4300  feet  high,  over  which  I  must  climb  on  Mon- 
day. It  lay  under  the  shadow  of  great  cliffs,  and  beside  a 
rushing,  melodious  stream  that  sang  in  my  ears  all  night. 
The  jinrikisha  man  is  dismissed,  my  boots  are  removed 
and  left  at  the  entrance  of  the  inn.  Mine  host  leads  me 
through  various  apartments,  separated  from  one  another 
by  sliding  screens.  One  seems  like  Gulliver  in  Lilliput  as  he 
strides  in  stocking-feet  over  smooth,  soft  matting,  through 
these  tiny  rooms,  bare  of  all  furniture.  The  room  of  hon- 
or is  assigned  me,  my  satchel  and  provision  basket  are 
brought,  and  I  am  made  to  feel  that  I  am  among  friends. 
The  obsequious  host  and  the  graceful,  black-eyed,  vermil- 
ion-lipped maiden  drop  on  their  knees  and  rub  the  mat- 
ting with  the  top  of  their  heads  to  signify  their  great  de- 
sire of  pleasing  me. 

But  how  shall  I  explain  to  them  that  I  wish  the  privi- 
lege of  retaining  my  room  next  day,  and  do  not  intend  to 
travel  on  the  Sabbath?  My  linguistic  ability  forbids  de- 
tails. By  a  happy  thought  I  chance  to  remember  that  some 
German  words  liave  passed  into  the  language,  and  that  Don- 
taku,  meaning  Sunday  (Sonntar/),  is  among  them.  So  I 
say  in  Japanese,  "To-morrow  not  travel;  to-morrow  Don- 
taku."     My  host's  face  beams  and  nods  with  intelligence. 

IT 


258  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

"Yorosliiu"  (all  right),  lie  assures  me,  and  a  few  moments 
later  I  hear  him  say  to  his  wife  in  the  kitchen,  with  a 
chuckle,  evidently  speaking  of  me,  "Dontaku." 

An  afternoon  stroll  shows  that  the  specialty  of  the  vil- 
lage is  combs  made  from  a  wood  growing  in  that  section. 
They  are  exposed  for  sale  in  front  of  almost  every  house. 
"Ikura?"  (how  much?)  I  ask,  as  I  take  up  a  small  comb. 
"Go  rin  "  (five  mills,  or  half  a  cent),  is  the  answer.  "Go 
ri?"  I  reply  interrogatively,  to  make  sure  that  it  is  so 
cheap,  an  answer  which  sends  the  maiden  at  the  old  lady's 
side  into  a  spasm  of  giggling.  The  mother,  expectant  of 
a  sale,  frowns  and  expostulates.  The  damsel  purses  up 
her  lips  and  looks  provokingly  sober.  But  I,  meantime, 
have  seen  the  point  and  begin  to  laugh  myself,  whereupon 
all  the  group  give  vent  to  their  suppressed  merriment. 
My  blunder  is  one  that  can  be  exactly  transferred  to  Eng- 
lish. Rin  is  a  money  value;  ri  is  a  measure  of  length. 
"  It  costs  five  mills,"  was  what  the  old  lady  said.  "  Does 
it  cost  only  five  miles  ?"  was  my  convulsing  reply.  I  buy 
many  miles'  worth  of  combs  and  pass  on. 

The  Sabbath  dawns  clear  and  bright  on  this  pagan  inn 
and  village.  It  is  as  silent  as  a  New  England  town.  Not 
a  wheel  rolls  by,  not  a  cry  is  made  of  a  Sunday  paper. 
Long  before  I  am  awake  the  other  wayfarers  have  eaten 
their  rice  and  trudged  on.  With  the  help  of  the  little  son 
of  the  host,  who  is  assigned  me  as  my  special  waiter,  I 
prepare  my  own  breakfast,  combining  the  best  of  the  Jap- 
anese and  the  American  fare.  It  is  Independence  Day 
and  Lord's  Day  at  once.  With  thoughts  full  of  home  and 
church  I  stroll  along  through  the  valley  to  an  adjoining 
village.  It  is  the  middle  of  the  morning.  My  appear- 
ance is  the  signal  for  a  friendly  rush  at  me  by  a  group  of 


Sketches  from  the  3fission  Field  259 

men  lounging  in  the  street.  They  flock  around  and  beset 
me  with  a  jargon  which  is  at  first  quite  unintelligible.  By 
degrees,  however,  I  get  hold  of  the  word,  "  Jesus-church." 
They  know  the  day  as  Sunday,  then,  and  me  as  a  Chris- 
tian. What  a  lesson !  Next  I  catch  the  words  "  three 
o'clock,"  and  infer  that  Christian  services  are  to  be  held  at 
that  hour.  Then  I  discover  that  this  Jesus-church  is  at 
Matsumoto,  some  miles  away.  Finally  the  whole  grows 
plain.  The  main  spokesman  is  driver  of  a  basha,  or  stage, 
which  is  soon  to  start  for  that  place.  Eager  to  secure  a 
passenger,  judging  of  my  Christianity  by  my  halt  for  the 
day,  he  appeals  to  my  desire  to  go  to  the  nearest  church. 
Here,  then,  was  a  sign  of  the  dawn  in  the  East.  In  1638 
an  imperial  edict  had  been  published  all  over  the  country 
in  the  following  w^ords  :  "  So  long  as  the  sun  shall  warm 
the  earth  let  no  Christian  be  so  bold  as  to  come  to  Japan ; 
and  let  all  know  that  the  King  of  Spain,  or  the  Christian's 
God,  or  the  great  God  of  all,  if  he  violate  this  command, 
shall  pay  for  it  with  his  head."  Until  within  a  very  few 
years  this  edict  has  been  in  force.  But  now  far  into  these 
mountain  valleys  the  gospel  news  has  penetrated,  and 
there  is  a  Jesus-church  a  few  miles  away,  to  which  these 
heathen  are  eager  to  carry  me.  That  was  enough  of  a  ser- 
mon for  one  day,  although  I  did  not  yield  to  their  request. 
The  dinner  which  I  prepared  on  my  return  to  the  inn 
was  designed  to  celebrate  the  day.  AYhen  I  say  that  Bos- 
ton baked  beans  and  Boston  brown-bread  and  Chicaofo 
corned-beef — all  of  which  had  been  procured,  canned,  in 
Tokio,  before  leaving — were  my  treasures  reserved  for  this 
meal,  and  that  the  little  American  flag  was  taken  out  and 
made  to  float  in  the  breeze,  you  may  know  that  the  day 
was  appropriately  honored. 


260  3Iodern  3Iissions  in  the  East 

Towards  evening,  however,  I  grew  sad.  Here  was  I 
spending  a  Sabbath  among  these  kind  and  gentle  heathen, 
but  not  a  word  of  Christ  to  give  them.  I  regret  not  bring- 
ing tracts  from  Tokio  that  should  speak  for  me.  Then  I 
remember  a  copy  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  in  Japanese  which 
is  in  my  Bible.  I  call  my  bright  waiter-boy,  and  he  re- 
cites it  after  me,  word  for  word,  correcting  my  pronuncia- 
tion as  I  read.  I  tell  him  "  Christo  is  like  Fuji,  highest 
among  all."  Then  I  read  it  to  my  host,  who  reverently 
touches  the  Bible  to  his  forehead.  They  are  a  very  polite 
people,  and  I  do  not  know  how  much  this  may  mean,  but 
the  seed  has  been  sown. 

The  next  morning,  when  I  come  to  pay  my  bill,  I  find  that 
I  have  been  charged  only  seventy  cents  for  all  that  I  have 
had  since  Saturday  noon.  When  I  make  it  up  to  one  dol- 
lar, with  cJiaddai,  or  tea-money,  for  a  fee,  my  host  seems 
overwhelmed  with  my  munificence.  Then  a  fresh  jinriki- 
sha  wheels  me  farther  along  into  the  mountains.  Before 
I  have  gone  more  than  two  or  three  miles,  however,  a  cry  is 
heard  behind  us.  A  man  appears,  running  at  full  speed. 
He  waves  something  white  in  his  hand.  We  wait  for  him 
to  come  up.  Then,  with  many  obeisances,  he  delivers  over 
to  me— what  do  you  suppose  ?  Why,  my  towel,  which  I 
had  left  at  the  inn,  and  which  he  had  been  sent  in  swift 
chase  to  restore  to  me.  Just  that  experience  in  the  re- 
covery of  lost  property  I  never  had  in  a  Christian  hotel. 

Such  mingling  with  a  genial,  simple,  heathen  people  gives 
one  much  to  think  of.  In  many  respects  the  rudiments 
of  creation  are  better  than  its  wrecks,  the  dignity,  sweet- 
ness, and  aspirations  of  human  nature  often  revealing  them- 
selves right  alongside  of  its  falseness,  arrogance,  and  self- 
ishness. 


Sketches  from  the  Mission  Field  261 

Ten  Days  in  Corea. — "  You  will  find  tlic  rainy  season 
well  established  here.  . .  .  Cholera  is  very  bad. . . .  The  small- 
pox is  always  with  us."  These  were  the  inducements  to  a 
visit  to  Corea  offered  me  by  Dr.  Allen,  in  response  to  my 
letter  of  inquiry  sent  from  Japan.  "  Shall  you  think  of 
going?"  asked  the  friends  in  Tokio.  *'  My  Avater-proof  will 
keep  off  the  rain,  small-pox  I  have  had,  cholera  I  do  not 
dread,  but  will  follow  instructions  and  drink  no  drop  of 
water  that  has  not  been  boiled;  and  since  Dr.  Allen  gives 
a  cordial  invitation,  and  the  steamer  is  ready,  and  the  coun- 
try little  known  but  most  interesting,  I  think  I  will  go." 

So  the  fourth  day  of  August  found  me  at  Chinese  Harry's 
hotel  in  Chemulpo,  the  open  port  of  Corea,  twenty  -  five 
miles  away  from  Seoul,  the  capital.  The  next  day,  on  the 
back  of  a  little  Corean  pony  provided  by  my  obliging  host, 
I  was  pushing  through  the  rain  across  the  rice  plains  and 
over  the  mountains  on  to  the  capital,  attended  by  a  servant 
who  drove  the  pack-horse  with  my  traps.  It  was  at  the 
British  legation  instead  of  the  American  mission  that  he 
deposited  me,  but  after  the  first  surprise  it  did  not  take 
my  host  long  to  show  his  bedraggled  visitor  over  the  cross- 
cut to  Dr.  Allen's  house.  Once  there  the  welcome  w^as  as 
warm  as  the  warning  had  been  faithful. 

In  Corea  one  saw  at  that  time  mission  w^ork  in  the  very 
start — not  really  begun,  in  fact.  The  experience  was  the 
more  valuable  because  every  other  point  I  visited  showed 
the  work  well  under  way,  and  with  all  preliminary  oppo- 
sition dispelled. 

Dr.  Allen,  with  his  surgical  skill  employed  in  behalf  of 
the  royal  family  at  a  time  of  insurrection,  had  won  the 
favor  of  court  and  people  alike.  That  had  opened  the  way 
for  other  physicians  and  teachers  connected  with  Presby- 


262  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

terian  and  Methodist  missions,  and  for  three  teachers,  ap- 
pointed by  the  President  of  the  United  States  at  the  solici- 
tation of  the  king,  to  take  charge  of  a  governmental  school. 
The  first  work  begun  by  the  mission  was  in  connection  with 
a  government  hospital,  which  was  placed  in  their  charge. 
There  they  were  treating  all  classes  of  cases,  and  were  also 
training  a  class  of  twelve  students,  who,  after  a  course  of 
three  or  five  years,  would  become  doctors  and  be  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  officials.  It  was  a  part  of  the  liberal  treat- 
ment of  the  government  that  it  should  appoint  to  the  hos- 
pital for  the  use  of  the  American  physicians,  five  singing- 
girls,  intended  for  their  mistresses  or  concubines,  accord- 
ing to  the  usages  of  the  country,  and  a  very  expensive 
gift.  Dr.  Allen  asked  the  government  to  change  their  po- 
sition to  that  of  students  in  the  hospital,  where  they  might 
be  trained  as  nurses.  This  was  done,  but  they  complained 
of  the  night  visits  of  the  ghost  of  the  murdered  regent. 
The  visits  grew  frequent,  and  were  found  to  be  from  a 
living  personage  of  high  rank.  They  were  therefore  trans- 
ferred to  other  hands;  but  as  they  were  badly  treated  they 
had  written  imploring  letters  begging  to  be  taken  back. 

Besides  this  hospital  the  Presbyterians,  three  months  be- 
fore, had  started  an  orphan  asylum.  They  sent  letters  to  the 
government,  stating  their  plan  of  taking  children  who  had 
lost  both  parents  or  their  father,  giving  them  a  home,  and 
teaching  them  the  means  of  livelihood.  The  government  re- 
plied, expressing  great  approval  of  a  plan  which  commanded 
the  sanctionof  every  right-thinking  person,  although  one  of 
which  they  had  never  thought  before.  Here  I  found  twelve 
orphans,  with  a  few  day  -  scholars,  being  taught  reading, 
writing,  etc.,  by  the  superintendent,  while  Mr.  Underwood 
gave   them   English,  geography,  and  secular  hymns;   for 


Sketches  from  the  Mission  Field  263 

Christianity  was  still  a  proliibitcd  religion,  and  not  even 
here  did  they  undertake  to  give  religious  instruction,  well 
aware  that  the  reactionaries  were  only  awaiting  some  such 
pretext  to  force  the  king  to  expel  the  foreigners. 

In  the  mission  compound  I  found  Miss  Dr.  Ellers,  who 
liad  been  summoned  from  home  to  undertake  medical  work 
for  women  ;  but  when  she  came,  hastening  away  even  be- 
fore she  took  her  degree,  she  found  neither  her  home  nor 
her  hospital  ready  for  her.     I  found  her  slightly  disturbed, 
and  disposed  to  think  that  she  had  made  a  mistake  in  hur- 
rying on  so  fast.     That  very  afternoon  there  came  a  sum- 
mons from  the  palace.    Dr.  Allen  had  already  prescribed  for 
both  the  king  and  the  queen  at  a  distance,  for  the  jealousy 
of  the  native  physicians  had,  so  far,  kept  him  from  court. 
Now,  however,  the  queen  was  sick  ;  her  physicians  could  not 
help  her;  so,  denouncing  them  as  of  no  use,  she  sent,  per- 
emptorily, asking  if  the  foreign  lady  would  come  with  Dr. 
Allen  and  attend  to  her.     He  watched  with  some  anxiety 
for  her  return,  but  she  came  back  in  high  feather.     The 
queen  had  received  her  most  graciously,  she  was  confident 
of  helping  her,  and  the  king  had  been  most  affable  to  Dr. 
Allen,  telling  him  to  come  in  the  foreign  way,  and  without 
Corean  ceremony.     The  next  day  she  returned  in  a  beauti- 
ful Corean    palanquin,  which   had  been  given  her  by  the 
restored  sovereign,  and  the  third  day  when  the   two   re- 
turned, after  a  long  dinner  given  in  their  honor.  Dr.  Allen 
had  been  appointed  physician  to  the  king.  Dr.  Ellers  phy- 
sician to  the  queen. 

In  temporal  things  their  fortune  was  now  made.  But  it 
was  not  temporal  things  they  sought.  What  was  the  pros- 
pect of  any  conversions  while  Christianity  was  still  a  pro- 
hibited religion  and  the  missionaries  did  not  venture  to 


264  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

preach  the  gospel  openly  ?  Yet  it  was  the  very  next  Sun- 
day that  I  attended  divine  service  in  the  American  lega- 
tion, where  several  Coreans  were  present.  It  was  not  long 
after  that  the  first  Christian  church  of  Corea  was  organ- 
ized. The  first  Corean  convert  made  at  Seoul  was  intro- 
duced to  me  and  his  story  made  known — a  story  illustra- 
tive of  many  another  case.  A  Corean  gentleman  of  in- 
dependent means  and  high  classic — i.  c,  Chinese — culture 
reads  a  Chinese  work  on  the  civilization  of  the  western 
nations.  The  book  is  full  of  admiration  for  the  ability  and 
science  of  these  lands.  It  casually  mentions  that  the  re- 
ligion of  these  people  is  called  Christianity,  and  is  a  very 
bad  religion.  But,  thought  he,  if  these  nations  are  so 
great,  their  religion  cannot  be  so  bad ;  it  must  at  least  be 
worth  studying.  He  determined  to  find  out  about  it.  But 
no  one  could  give  him  any  information  as  to  the  nature  of 
Christianity  until  a  servant  of  one  of  the  missionaries  told 
him  that  these  men  knew  all  about  it.  The  next  day  he 
appeared  in  a  class  to  which  Mr.  Underwood  was  giving 
instruction  in  English,  and  seemed  for  a  time  an  earnest 
student,  but  soon  disappeared,  and  gained  only  the  credit 
of  being  fickle.  It  was  not  English,  however,  but  Christi- 
anity that  he  wanted,  and  when  he  heard  nothing  about 
religion  he  did  not  care  to  remain. 

One  day  he  came  to  Dr.  Allen's  ofRce  for  medical  advice. 
While  waiting  for  the  doctor  to  prepare  his  medicine  he  dis- 
covered on  the  table  a  copy  of  the  gospels  of  Matthew  and 
Luke  in  Chinese.  A  glance  at  the  contents  showed  him  that 
this  was  what  he  was  in  search  of.  The  opportunity  must 
be  seized  or  it  might  be  lost.  Slipping  the  book  under  his 
garment  he  disappeared,  and  spent  the  whole  night  in  read- 
ing and  re-reading  that  for  which  he  had  so  long  sought. 


Sketches  from  the  Jlission  Field  265 

The  next  day  lie  appeared  before  Mr.Underwood,  holding  oat 
the  book,  and  crying:  "This  is  good;  this  is  what  I  want." 
After  explanation  they  examined  him  in  what  he  had  read, 
and  found  him  able  to  tell  them  much  of  the  gospel.  He 
went  to  their  private  prayer  -  meeting,  and  felt  the  power 
of  the  Iloly  Spirit ;  he  attended  the  communion-service ; 
he  read  other  Christian  books  in  Chinese.  At  last,  four 
weeks  before  my  arrival,  at  his  earnest  desire,  he  had  been 
baptized,  but  secretly,  for  fear  of  the  Coreans.  Not  even 
his  own  family  as  yet  knew  of  his  change.  But  when  the 
next  annual  ceremonies  at  the  ancestral  shrines  came  off 
he  must  be  present  to  lead  his  family  or  the  secret  would 
be  out.  He  had  decided  to  take  the  risk,  for  he  could  no 
longer  join  in  these  idolatrous  rites.  I  found  the  mission- 
aries pondering  the  question  of  his  safety,  and  when  I  left 
the  country  I  was  commissioned  to  inquire  of  Dr.  Xevius 
in  China  what  disposition  could  be  made  of  him  there  for 
a  while,  should  it  seem  wise  for  him  to  leave  his  home.  But 
that  did  not  become  necessary,  and  now  there  are  a  num- 
ber of  others  who  have  followed  his  example,  though  not 
with  so  great  apparent  risk  to  themselves. 

''What  though  the  spicy  breezes 
Blow  soft  o'er  Ceylon's  isle, 
Though  every  prospect  pleases, 
And  only  man  is  vile." 

The  one  place  in  the  world  where  these  lines  are  least 
acceptable  is  the  island  of  Ceylon.  "  Is  man  here  only 
vile?  Is  he  viler  than  elsewhere?"  they  ask  with  natural 
irritation.  Beautiful,  indeed,  was  the  "  isle  "  when  we  landed 
at  Colombo  late  in  October,  the  fall  monsoon  having  just 
set  in,  showers  dropping  at  night,  sun  shining  by  day,  all 


266  Modern  Missions  in  the  Ecist 

nature  testifying  to  the  lavish  kindness  with  which  the 
gifts  of  God  are  strewn.  But  in  spite  of  its  missionary 
hymns  Ceylon  has  been  a  sad  victim  of  missionary  experi- 
ments. Certainly  enough  has  been  done  to  make  it  thrice 
Christian — in  fact,  it  has  twice  been  regarded  as  a  Chris- 
tian land,  and  now  they  are  Christianizing  it  for  the  third 
time.  Both  times  before  it  was  only  baptized  paganism.  May 
the  present  work  prove  more  stable  !  The  Singhalese,  who 
comprise  over  two-thirds  of  the  nearly  three  million  popu- 
lation of  this  country,  a  little  smaller  than  Ireland,  are  the 
most  graceful,  pliable,  and  listless,  perhaps,  of  any  civilized 
people,  and  luxuriant  nature  has  done  everything  to  foster 
these  natural  traits.  Christianity  has  been  dealing  with 
them  for  nearly  four  hundred  years.  First  it  was  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  of  the  Portuguese.  For  one  hundred  and 
fifty  years  by  gold  and  political  favor  they  spread  the  sway 
of  the  church  throughout  the  land.  The  turn  of  the  Prot- 
estants came  when  the  Dutch  expelled  the  Portuguese,  and 
for  another  hundred  and  fifty  years  established  their  gov- 
ernment-Christianity, requiring  baptism  as  a  condition 
for  holding  office,  and  even  for  farming  land.  Converts 
were  numerous,  pressing  in  by  hundreds  of  thousands,  and 
Brahmins  claimed  the  right  to  baptism  without  renouncing 
their  heathen  symbols.  The  Dutch  clergy  preached  to 
these  facile  converts  through  interpreters,  and  j^ersecuted 
all  Roman  Catholics.  But  when,  a  hundred  years  ago,  the 
Dutch  went  out  and  the  English  came  in,  their  church  went 
out  with  them,  and  the  people  were  ready  again  to  be 
heathen  or  Anglicans,  according  to  the  inducements  offered. 
When  they  found  England  offered  no  inducements,  they 
reverted  to  one  or  the  other  of  the  older  types — to  Roman- 
ism or  Buddhism.     In  ten  years  one-half  of  the  Singhalese 


Sketches  from  the  Jlission  Field  267 

professing  the  Protestant  faith  liad  gone  back  to  Buddhism. 
Such  was  the  end  of  "  government-religion  "  in  Ceylon.  I 
saw  in  Colombo  the  Dutch  church  which  had  been  built  in 
the  old  style  in  1746.     But  there  is  no  use  for  it  now. 

It  is  on  such  a  soil  as  this  that  to-day  English  and 
Americans  are  seeking  by  purely  gospel  methods  to  win 
the  hearts  of  the  people.  For  seventy  years  some  of  them 
have  been  at  work,  and  there  can  be  no  better  test  of  the 
wisdom  of  their  methods  than  the  results  already  reached. 
A  Sunday  experience  has  satisfied  me  of  the  permanence 
of  their  undertaking. 

The  Wesleyans  of  England  began  their  work  early  in 
this  century.  They  have  a  large,  self-supporting  Wesley 
College  and  extensive  press.  But  when  I  wanted  to  see 
their  church  work  they  said  I  must  go  among  the  natives. 

Early  Sunday  morning  I  took  the  train  from  Colombo 
in  company  with  Mr.  Mendis,  a  native  Singhalese  gentle- 
man connected  with  the  \yesley  press,  for  the  station  of 
Lunawa,  a  few  miles  out  from  the  city.  There  we  took  a 
bullock-hackery,  and,  riding  to  Moritua,  one  of  the  centres 
of  Christian  work,  we  drove  straight  to  the  house  of  the 
Singhalese  pastor  of  the  church.  It  was  situated  in  a  large 
enclosure,  in  the  midst  of  a  beautiful  grove  of  cocoanut 
palms.  Everywhere  the  luxuriant  life  of  the  tropics ! 
Everything  was  native  Singhalese,  I  myself  being  the  only 
exception.  The  Sunday-school,  the  day-school,  and  the 
parsonage  were  all  in  one  extensive  building,  and  close 
to  it  was  the  large  church  edifice,  where  I  preached  to  an 
exclusively  native  audience,  the  pastor  acting  as  interpreter. 
It  was  a  nine  o'clock  service,  after  which  we  returned  to 
the  parsonage  and  partook  of  a  very  good  breakfast.  I 
found  the  pastor  an  excellent,  humble,  devoted  man.     Then 


268  3Ioclerii  3Iissions  in  the  East 

I  took  bullock-cart  again  and  rode  a  few  miles  to  another 
still  larger  cliurcli,  and  preached  for  the  Singhalese  pastor, 
Mr.  De  Silva.  One  of  his  name  had  been  pastor  here  for 
over  twenty  years,  and  the  whole  community  had  been  im- 
bued with  the  rich  flavor  of  his  life,  testifying  to  what  one 
devoted  native  pastor  can  accomplish.  In  the  evening  I 
was  back  in  Colombo.  It  was  in  some  respects  the  most 
remarkable  Sunday  I  spent  in  my  whole  tour.  It  was  the 
one  day  when  I  found  myself  entirely  away  from  all  mis- 
sionaries and  Europeans,  and  at  the  same  time  right  in  the 
heart  of  the  Christian  church.  For  all  I  saw  that  day 
Christianity  might  have  been  the  original  religion  of  the 
island.  And  there  was  a  simple  independence  which  told 
of  strong  character  brought  by  Christ  into  the  pliant  life  of 
this  amiable  people. 

Sachiapuram,  a  Christian  Village  in  the  Madura  District. 
— Dr.  Chester,  of  Dindigul,  is  one  of  the  model  mission- 
aries. He  is  preacher  and  physician  at  once — prompt,  alert, 
patient,  indefatigable.  Under  his  charge  we  shall  see  the 
core  of  mission  life.  It  is  off  here  before  breakfast,  off 
there  after  breakfast,  one-half  hour  for  rest,  then  off  again 
somewhere  else,  and  so  on  through  the  day. 

Sunday  afternoon  we  are  on  our  way  to  hold  communion 
with  the  church  at  Sachiapuram.  We  ride  over  sandy 
plains,  then  walk  through  regions  full  of  the  prickly-pear, 
a  combination  of  bramble  and  thistle,  with  both  elements 
exaggerated.  The  natives  bring  to  their  friend  and  his 
friend  young  cocoanuts,  from  which  we  drain  the  refresh- 
ing milk.  On  the  way  he  tells  me  the  history  of  the  vil- 
lage. The  Roman  Catholics  have  Lad  much  influence  in 
Madura.     The  worship  of  Mary  has  for  them  this  advan- 


Sketches  from  the  3Rssion  Field  269 

t.'ige  over  Kali,  tliat  Kali  is  a  cruel  goddess.  But  the  peo- 
ple remain  in  ignorance  and  superstition,  and  are  subject  to 
the  priests  instead  of  to  the  Brahmins. 

There  was  an  old  village  wliere  the  lieathen  temple  and 
the  Catholic  temple  held  the  ground  between  them.     Two 
brothers  were  converted  to  evangelical  religion.     Their  old 
home  was  crowded.     True  Christianity  always  produces  a 
ferment  and  growth.      Seeking  more  room  and   a   fresh 
start,  they  purchased  land  a  few  miles  distant  from  their 
former  home  and  founded  a  new  village,  which  was  called 
Sachiapuram,  or  the  village  of  Christian  witness.     It  was  a 
real-estate  boom.     But  these  speculators  proposed  to  liave 
a  Christian  village;  liow  should  they  accomplish  it?     By 
two  conditions  in  the  sale  of  the  property.     The  first  was 
that  the  Sabbath  must  be  observed  by  all  the  inhabitants, 
the    second   that  all  the   houses    must   be    built    in    line. 
There  are  about  forty  or  fifty  families  in  the  village,  of 
which  not  more  than  fifteen,  with  eighteen  church  mem- 
bers, are  Protestant,  the  others  being  Catholic  or  Hindu. 
But  none  of  them  work  on  Sunday,  and  all  the  houses  are  in 
line.     In  a  land  where  a  man's  position  is  counted,  not  by 
the  number  of  his  horses  but  of  his  lawsuits,  they  liave  so 
won  the  respect  of  their  heathen  neighbors  that  they  come 
to  them  to  arbitrate  their  disputes.    As  the  friends  of  these 
brothers  followed  them  they  at  once  put  up  a  churcli,  but 
with  the  growth  of  the  place  it  proved  too  small  for  their 
needs.     They  said  to  themselves,  "  We  will  pull  down  the 
old  church,  and  put  up  a  new  one  which  shall  be  laro-e 
enough  for  all  the  people."     It  was  this  new  enlarged  edi- 
fice that  was  to  be  dedicated  the  following  week.     It  had 
cost,  with  the  door  and  windows,  about  one  hundred  rupees, 
of  which  not  an  anna  had  been  received  from  the  missionary. 


270  Modern  3fissions  in  the  East 

We  found  a  company  of  them  awaiting  us  under  the 
trees  where  the  meeting  was  to  have  been  held.  But 
for  the  sake  of  the  visitor  they  led  the  way  on  to  the 
new  church,  although  it  was  not  quite  completed.  Be- 
hold their  new  edifice  !  It  has  mud  walls,  and  is  heavily 
thatched  with  straw.  There  are  four  holes  in  the  walls, 
one  of  them  being  a  door,  and  three  windows.  We  en- 
ter the  door  and  inspect  the  interior.  There  are  three 
pieces  of  furniture.  One  is  a  dry-goods  box  which  serves 
as  a  pulpit,  the  others  are  two  chairs  for  the  foreign- 
ers. The  rest  is  the  hard  mud  floor,  where  the  people 
spread  their  mats  and  pack  themselves  closely  together. 
We  celebrate  the  sacrament,  and  not  even  in  Nazareth, 
where  our  Lord  lived,  did  I  seem  so  near  to  him  as  here 
in  the  little  mud  church,  where  the  dark-skinned  Tamil 
deacons  passed  the  bread  and  the  wine  to  us  and  to  the  lit- 
tle company  of  inquiring  Christians  crouching  cross-legged 
on  the  mud  floor.  Then  I  told  them  something  of  my 
mission  travels,  and  of  the  work  in  China  and  Japan.  They 
seemed  much  interested.  When  the  service  was  ended 
they  led  us  through  the  broad,  clean  streets  of  their  village, 
which  I  knew  how  to  appreciate  in  contrast  with  the  filthy 
alleys  that  I  had  seen  in  all  other  Indian  low-caste  villages. 
With  a  smile  of  satisfaction  they  pointed  out  the  dilapi- 
dated Roman  Catholic  shrine  at  the  foot  of  the  street, 
mentally  comparing  it,  I  could  see,  with  their  own  fine 
structure.  They  propose  soon  building  a  catechist's  house, 
so  that  Dr.  Chester  can  put  a  school  in  the  church,  while 
they  have  a  home  to  offer  the  teacher.  When  we  turned 
to  leave,  a  number  of  them,  according  to  their  custom,  fol- 
lowed us  on  the  way  until  Dr.  Chester  signified  that  they 
need  go  no  farther.     The  leader  of  the  village,  however, 


Sketches  from  the  Mission  Field  271 

bad  something  on  his  mind.  His  name  was  Saviri-muttu 
(Xavier-pearl).  He  spoke  with  Dr.  Chester,  then  handed 
him  something  which  Dr.  Chester  passed  on  to  me  with 
the  remark,  "  It  is  for  you.  You  must  keep  it."  It  was  a 
briglit  silver  rupee.  *'  You  may  show  your  appreciation  of 
it  in  any  way  you  choose,  but  you  must  keep  it.  The 
leader  wants  to  give  that  to  you  in  behalf  of  the  village  to 
express  their  appreciation  of  what  you  liave  told  them, 
and  wishes  you  to  use  it  to  help  pay  tlie  expenses  of  your 
mission  travels." 

I  was  utterly  amazed  and  greatly  touched,  as  the  reader 
will  be  if  he  correctly  estimates  the  value  of  their  gift. 
Their  new  church  had  cost  them  one  hundred  rupees.  They 
had  given  me  tlie  one-hundredth  part  of  that  cost.  Now 
suppose  that  I  should  at  some  time  go  into  Dr.  John  Hall's 
pulpit  in  New  York,  and  after  I  had  spoken  to  them  on 
missions,  as  I  was  passing  out  from  the  door  one  of  the 
elders  should  step  up  to  me  and  say,  "Mr.  Lawrence,  we 
have  been  so  much  interested  in  what  you  have  told  us 
that  to  express  our  appreciation,  and  to  help  you  continue 
your  mission  travels,  we  have  decided  to  give  you  the  one- 
hundredth  part  of  the  cost  of  this  church."  If  any  one 
will  compute  this  amount  he  will  learn  the  real  value  of  the 
gift  of  these  people.  "Tell  him,"  I  said  to  Dr.  Chester, 
"  that  I  will  take  it,  and  never  part  with  it.  I  will  use  it 
to  remember  them  by.  It  shall  have  the  name  and  date 
engraven  on  it,  and  I  will  tell  the  story  of  this  village  and 
this  incident  to  many  Christians  on  the  other  side  of  the 
sea."  I  cherish  it  as  one  of  my  most  precious  treasures. 
It  is  as  grateful  to  me  as  the  water  of  the  well  of  Bethle- 
hem, which,  when  it  was  brought  by  his  warriors,  David 
found  too  sacred  to  drink.     1  am  accustomed  to  show  it  to 


272  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

those  to  whom  I  speak  on  missions,  saying  that  it  is  worth 
its  weight  in  gold.  It  cannot  be  bought,  but  the  mere  sight 
of  it  is  worth  that,  and  it  takes  a  double-eagle  to  cover  it. 
Those  who  have  seen  it  agree  with  me,  and  I  have  already 
sent  to  that  mission  about  one  hundred  dollars  which  have 
come  in  response  to  this  rupee,  besides  the  pulpit  hymn- 
book  which  Dr.  Chester  promised  to  place  there  for  me. 
One  of  these  double-eagles,  joined  to  another  fund  waiting 
for  its  help,  was  the  means  of  securing  a  bell  for  that 
church,  which  now  peals  out  its  message  every  Sunday 
morning  through  the  straight  streets  of  that  Sabbath- 
keeping  Christian  village  of  Sachiapuram. 

Great  objects,  like  mountains,  rise  and  spread  as  they  re- 
cede. That  which  close  at  hand  confuses  and  overwhelms, 
at  a  distance  assumes  its  true  proportions  and  relations. 
The  ridges  blend  into  a  range,  the  peaks  stands  out  clear 
from  one  another,  the  contour  of  the  whole  is  revealed. 

So  it  is  with  the  mission  work.  On  the  field  the  details 
overmaster  one.  He  can  hardly  see  the  forest  for  the  trees 
that  crowd  the  vision.  But  as  time  and  space  intervene 
the  salient  points  become  plain.  The  petty  things  disap- 
pear, the  great  features  of  the  work  are  emphasized.  The 
outline  and  trend  of  the  whole  stretches  out  before  one  in 
all  their  importance,  and  in  all  their  bearing  upon  heaven 
and  earth.  Memory  supplies  an  invisible  background  of 
detail  which  interprets  the  shape  of  the  prominent  masses 
thrust  out  in  bold  relief.  Thus  the  meaning  of  both  great 
and  small  grows  plain,  and  the  character  of  the  whole  is 
revealed.  Such  certainly  is  the  effect  of  the  lapse  of  sev- 
eral years  since  my  return  from  the  mission  field  in  Asia. 
The  minute,  often  monotonous,  details  inspected  day  after 


SketcJies  from  the  Mission  Field  273 

day,  and  the  perplexing  questions  studied,  withdraw,  while 
the  structural  character  of  the  work  emerges,  its  most  sig- 
nificant features  are  projected,  and  the  grandeur  and  im- 
portance of  the  whole  grow  continually  more  manifest. 

These  are  some  of  the  conspicuous  features  of  the  mis- 
sion work  which  thus  stand  out  before  one  who  has  with- 
drawn from  actual  contact : 

First.  In  a  sense  somewhat  different  from  the  common 
interpretation,  it  is  true  that  "  Except  a  man  be  born  again, 
he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  That  is  a  kingdom 
which  Cometh  not  with  observation  ;  and  he  to  whom  has 
not  been  given  that  spiritual  vision  which  springs  from  a  new 
life,  and  who  can  detect  the  great  in  the  small,  the  invisible 
in  the  visible,  may  return  from  a  tour  of  the  world  and  re- 
port of  the  mission  work,  "It  is  naught;  it  is  naught." 
The  unregenerate  eye  should  not  be  expected  to  discern  or 
interpret  the  signs  of  the  kingdom.  "  The  natural  man  re- 
ceiveth  not  the  things  of  the  spirit  of  God  ;  for  they  are 
foolishness  unto  him,  and  he  cannot  know  them,  for  they 
are  spiritually  judged."  As  well  expect  a  blind  man  to  re- 
port truly  on  the  rainbow,  or  a  deaf  man  on  AVagner's 
music,  as  one  without  spiritual  discernment  to  tell  the  prog- 
ress of  God's  kingdom  in  Asia  or  Africa.  Excepting  a  few 
institutions  like  Robert  College  and  the  Doshisha,  there  is 
little  to  strike  the  eye.  A  few  small  mission-houses,  oc- 
cupied by  well-meaning  but  fanatical  enthusiasts,  a  few  in- 
significant chapels  and  school-houses,  a  few  hundred  or 
thousand  converts  drawn  together  by  very  mixed  and 
doubtful  motives — that  is  about  the  whole  that  might  ap- 
pear to  the  eye  of  the  superficial  observer.  "  You  see,  it 
is  very  little  that  we  have  done  here,"  said  one  of  the  wisest 
young  missionaries  I  know,  as  we  slipped  in  our  jinrikisha 

IS 


274  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

from  chapel  to  chapel  one  Sunday  afternoon  in  Tokio. 
"  It  does  not  show  for  niuch.  A  few  score  of  rather  poor 
and  ignorant  Christians  in  a  dozen  little  rooms  in  different 
parts  of  this  great  city  does  not  count  much  in  the  way  of 
Christianizing  the  world."  So  it  is  throughout  Asia.  If 
some  large  buildings  here  and  there  in  the  great  cities  seem 
to  bear  a  visible  testimony  to  the  permanence  of  the  work, 
they  are  everywhere  fronted  and  flanked  and  outshone  by 
far  more  imposing  structures  belonging  to  systems  that 
must  fall  before  Christianity  will  have  triumphed.  The 
evangelistic  work  leaves  hardly  a  trace  of  its  achievements. 
How  shall  the  untaught  eye  discern  the  signs  of  the  har- 
vest in  the  newly-sown  field  ? 

"Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom 
of  God."  We  need  not  attribute  special  ill-will  to  oriental 
tourists  who  decry  missions.  Incapacity  rather  than  per- 
versity suffices  to  explain  their  error.  They  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  ;  how  can  they  tell  of  it  ?  We  are  in  strange  er- 
ror to  expect  anything  from  them — to  allow  them  to  be 
judges.  If  a  man  does  not  truly  believe  in  Christianity 
and  its  works  at  home,  how  can  he  be  expected  to  believe 
in  it  abroad  ?  Disparaging  the  church  at  home,  why  should 
they  not  disparage  it  abroad  ?  Their  home  is  in  Christen- 
dom. They  see  all  around  them  the  splendors  of  Christian 
art  and  the  achievements  of  Christian  life.  They  have 
themselves  been  nourished  by  the  abundant,  wide-spread 
fruits  of  Christianity.  Yet  if  they  deny,  or  practically 
ignore,  these  visible  and  material  signs,  how  can  we  expect 
them  to  detect  the  working  of  the  gospel  in  heathendom, 
where  it  is  still  a  latent  power  working  in  the  germ,  scat- 
tered seed  dropped  in  the  mire  ? 

Of  such  incompetent  witnesses  there  are  many  classes. 


Sketches  from  the  ^Ilssion  Field  275 

Some  are  totally  blind;  others  arc  color-blind.  With  some 
people  everything  is  a  failure.  They  are  pessimists.  Life 
itself  is  not  worth  living.  Others  worship  God  as  a  tribal 
God,  and  hold  Christianity  as  the  religion  of  their  native 
land,  believing  that  each  should  hold  and  have  his  own. 
Some  have  an  antipathy  to  evangelical  religion.  If  they 
think  us  narrow  and  unreasonable  here,  why  should  we 
look  for  a  different  judgment  from  them,  when  they  see 
evangelical  Christianity  being  established  in  Japan  or 
India? 

It  is  a  fact  that  not  even  all  missionaries  can  see  the 
kingdom  of  God.  It  requires  faith  to  see  it  —  the  ever- 
renewed  vision  of  a  regenerate  life.  If  a  missionary  grows 
worldly  he  grows  blind,  and  labors  blindly,  perfunctorily, 
hopelessly.  Perhaps  he  grows  despondent,  judges  by 
worldly  standards,  and,  if  very  conscientious,  even  resigns 
his  commission.  He  has  lost  spiritual  insight  into  God's 
work — the  fogs  and  filth  of  heathenism  blot  out  the  grow- 
ing beauty  of  God's  kingdom.  "  Except  a  man  be  born 
again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  A  man's  faith 
in  Christ  will  be  the  measure  of  his  faith  in  missions. 

Second.  "The  kingdom  of  God  is  like  unto  a  grain  of 
mustard-seed."  The  difficulty  of  discerning  the  signs  of  the 
kingdom  lies  in  the  object  as  well  as  in  the  subject  of  vision. 
Turn  from  triumphant  Christianity  in  America  to  nascent 
Christianity  in  Asia ;  it  is  hard  enough  to  imagine  that  the 
almost  invisible  germ  has  in  it  the  promise  and  potency 
of  Christendom.  Involuntarily  we  are  schooled  to  judge 
here  by  results,  dimensions,  numbers,  quantit}'.  There  we 
must  judge  by  quality,  vitality,  to  which  it  is  very  hard  to 
apply  any  tests.  When  we  see  a  great  man  swaying 
crowds  by  his  eloquence,  how  hard  to  think  of  him  as  a 


276  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

tiny  babe  in  his  mother's  arms !  The  baby  seems  to  give 
little  promise  of  the  statesman.  Thus  even  the  regenerate 
eye  is  often  baffled  when  it  undertakes  to  study  the  king- 
dom of  God  in  its  origins,  and  finds  that  beginning  so 
insignificant,  so  mysterious.  AVe  have  no  standard  gauge 
by  which  to  test  pure  quality.  Faith  in  God  alone  can 
disclose  it.  Only  he  who  can  see  God  can  see  his  king- 
dom in  the  germ.  To  assert  that  the  giant  oak  must  lose 
its  empire  and  is  about  to  fall,  that  the  microscopic  germ 
holds  the  world  in  its  grasp  and  is  spreading  to  an  eternal, 
universal  sway  —  such  an  apparently  preposterous  claim 
can  be  made  in  the  face  of  lordly  heathenisms  only  by  one 
who  has  taken  a  very  deep  hold  on  the  truth  that  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  like  unto  a  grain  of  mustard-seed,  and  can  de- 
tect in  the  germ  the  secret,  the  pledge,  the  very  plan  of  the 
coming  dominion. 

Third.  "  We  have  this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels." 
Close  and  lonir  association  with  missionaries  is  not  needed 
to  disclose  to  the  traveller  that,  after  all,  they  are  but 
men  having,  like  the  rest  of  us,  a  legacy  and  a  habit  of 
sinful  passions  which  only  the  grace  of  God  can  overcome. 
The  best  of  them  are  imperfect,  often  mistaken,  often 
at  fault.  We  are  not  able  to  transmute  the  defective  ma- 
terial which  the  church  delivers  to  us  as  candidates  for 
this  work  into  perfect  men  simply  because  they  are  la- 
belled missionaries  and  are  laboring  in  Asia  instead  of  in 
America.  Nay,  more  :  there  is  much  in  their  life  and  sur- 
roundings which  begets  and  fosters  peculiar  faults.  Few 
things  are  more  perilous  to  character  than  for  a  man  to  be 
shut  up  to  constant  intercourse  with  an  inferior  and  obse- 
quious race.  Let  him,  in  addition,  be  their  teacher,  di- 
rector, guardian,  and  paymaster — only  the  wisest  and  saint- 


Sketches  from  the  Jlission  Field  277 

licst  could  endure  tliis  test  without  becoming  puffed  up 
and  arbitrary. 

Besides  this,  he  is  engaged  in  fighting  lieathenism,  ^vllich 
breeds  a  deadly  malaria,  affecting  even  those  who  are  bent 
on  destroying  it.  And  all  the  time  his  life  is  being  poured 
out  on  soil  which  long  seems  barren,  lie  is  tempted  to 
doubt  and  despair,  tempted  to  labor  for  self  when  other 
labor  seems  in  vain.  But  we,  like  the  apostle,  have  this 
treasure  in  earthen  vessels,  that  the  exceeding  greatness  of 
power  may  be  of  God  and  not  from  ourselves.  There  is 
greatness  of  power  of  the  gospel  in  all  these  lands.  The 
human  instruments  are  weak,  but  the  Lord  uses  them  for 
mighty  things.  The  earthen  vessels  contain  a  treasure 
which  transfigures  the  vessel  itself  and  redeems  the  world. 

Yes,  transfigures  the  very  vessel.  For  there  are  no  no- 
bler, saintlier  men  and  women  than  some  whom  I  have 
iearned  to  know  and  love  on  the  mission  field.  The 
work  itself  brings  compensation  and  blessings  in  the  way 
of  character  and  grace  which  there  is  no  space  to  men- 
tion. The  time  of  abusing  missionaries  is,  we  may  hope, 
passing  away.  They  are  simply  men  and  sinners  saved 
by  grace,  like  ourselves.  But  the  most  careful  estimate, 
after  meeting  five  hundred  of  them  on  the  field,  permits 
me  to  say  that  in  ability,  in  character,  in  piety,  they  stand 
on  a  high  average  with  their  brethren  at  home.  And 
the  consecrated  list  of  the  heroes  of  faith  and  the  saints 
of  love  whose  light  shines  most  conspicuous  in  their 
march  across  the  lands  and  the  ages  is  more  thronged 
with  the  names  of  missionaries  than  with  those  of  any 
other  class.  Among  them  the  living  have  their  full  pro- 
portion. 

Fourth.  The  central  argument  for  missions  does  not  lie 


278  Modern  3Iissio?is  hi  the  East 

in  any  results  that  can  be  shown  on  the  mission  field. 
There  are  enough  miracles  of  missions  to  satisfy  those  who 
long  for  a  sign.  These  results  are  a  test  of  the  wisdom  of 
certain  methods  and  agents.  But  they  should  never  be 
used  as  if  they  were  the  main  proof  of  the  universality  of 
Christianity,  against  which,  in  that  case,  the  temporary  ab- 
sence of  results  must  be  admitted  to  tell.  The  real  argu- 
ment for  missions  lies  in  the  nature  and  promises  of  God, 
in  the  claims  and  commands  of  Christ,  in  the  universal 
need  of  man  for  the  universal  gifts  which  the  Spirit  has 
bestowed  upon  the  church. 

Fifth.  Moreover,  I  have  felt,  as  never  before,  the  reality 
of  mission  work.  The  reports  at  home  too  often  rob  it  of 
either  its  lights  or  its  shadows ;  its  opponents  painting 
only  the  dark  side,  its  friends  dwelling  mainly  on  the  bright 
features.  Either  of  these  gives  a  very  unreal  effect,  and 
cannot  excite  great  sustained  interest.  But  now  before 
my  mind  the  whole  mission  undertaking  assumes  the  same 
thrilling  life,  the  same  intense  reality  which  we  find  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles  when  they  depict  with  such  transpar- 
ent truth  and  masterly  skill  the  training,  the  conflicts,  the 
successes  of  those  great  heroes,  especially  the  travels  and 
labors  of  St.  Paul.  The  whole  truth  in  all  its  substance 
and  outlines  is  what  we  need  everywhere  to  present,  that 
we  may  bring  mission  work  home  to  the  hearts  of  Chris- 
tians, and  enlist  them  in  a  cause  which  is  so  grand  and 
true  and  sure  that  it  appeals  to  them  by  its  difiicul- 
ties,  discouragements,  mistakes,  and  reverses,  quite  as 
truly  as  by  its  hopes,  achievements,  and  certainty  of  suc- 
cess. 

Sixth.  I  have  been  most  forcibly  impressed  by  the  ag- 
gressive and  menacing  presence  in  Asia  of  our  own  secular 


JSketches  from  the  3Iission  Field  279 

civilization,  witli  all  its  revolutionarv  and  destructive  aijen- 
cies.  If  anything  could  intensify  the  urgency  with  which 
the  open  opportunity  appeals  to  us,  it  is  the  crisis  created 
by  this  inevitable  spread  of  our  own  culture  and  civilization 
through  Asia,  which,  unless  dominated  there  as  here,  by 
religion,  will  manifest  itself  in  the  Orient  as  a  godless  and 
soul-destroying  power. 

Seventh.  In  connection  with  this  I  have  also  been  im- 
pressed with  the  spontaneous,  involuntary  expansiveness 
of  Christianity  itself,  quite  apart  from  the  direct  efforts  of 
its  adherents.  This  results  in  a  certain  sporadic  Christiani- 
ty which  often  springs  up  in  quarters  unreached  by  mis- 
sionary effort,  as  if  by  a  kind  of  spontaneous  generation. 
It  can  usually  be  traced  to  some  printed  page  fluttering  by 
chance  into  heathen  hands.  It  springs  also  from  the  di- 
rect agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  bringing  a  strange  prepara- 
tion and  expectation  of  the  gospel  into  the  hearts  of  the 
heathen.  It  occurs  most  frequently  in  India,  and  seems  to 
augur  wide-spreading  change. 

Eighth.  The  intimate  connection  of  the  direct  mission 
work  with  all  the  great  historic  forces  through  which  God 
moves  in  the  life  of  men  and  societies  has  become  plain  as 
never  before.  God  rules  the  world  in  the  interests  of  liis 
kingdom  and  of  his  church.  There  is  a  solidarity  in 
creation  and  history  which  brings  the  main  forces  of  life 
into  alliance  with  the  missionary.  Seemingly  alone  in  his 
work,  he  has  all  things  working  with  and  for  him  and  his 
cause.  This  truth  once  discerned,  it  is  an  amazement  and 
a  joy  to  trace  God's  presence  on  the  field  when  he  seems 
most  invisible.  He  remains  the  great  missionary,  and  uses 
the  wrath  and  praise  of  men  alike  for  his  divine  purposes. 
This  missionary  drift  of  the   ages  grows  more  and  more 


280  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

plain  as  one  journeys  on  round  the  world  or  back  through 
the  centuries. 

On  the  whole,  I  know  nothing  fitter  to  compare  with 
these  ancient,  vast,  mighty,  and  elaborate  civilizations  than 
the  huge  glaciers  which  fill  great  valleys  in  the  Alps  or 
Himalayas.  The  icy  bonds  of  ages  hold  them  fast.  They 
glitter  and  shine  at  a  distance,  but  yawn  in  fathomless 
gulfs,  with  sharp,  jagged  edges.  The  whole  life  of  a  peo- 
ple is  congealed  in  these  glaciers.  How  now  shall  they  be 
broken  up  and  set  free  in  life-giving  streams,  to  water  the 
arid  plains  beneath  ?  Send  a  few  hundred  men  with  axes  to 
attack  them.  These  are  the  missionaries.  By  painful  labor 
let  them  cut  off  block  after  block  from  the  great  mass. 
They  can  carry  each  fragment,  detached  from  the  whole, 
down  to  the  warm  valley,  and  it  will  melt  in  their  hands. 
But  what  change  does  that  make  in  the  glaciers?  How 
many  ages  would  it  take  these  men,  working  night  and 
day,  to  cut  away  the  entire  mass  ?  Nay,  it  grows  under 
their  very  hands.  The  numbers  of  heathen  are  actually 
multiplying  far  faster  by  birth  than  we  are  diminishing 
them  by  conversion ;  so  the  glaciers  encroach  on  the  plain. 

There  is  but  one  way  in  which  they  can  be  overcome.  It 
is  by  a  change  of  climate,  such  as  has  melted  down  the  icy 
mountains  that  once  rested  over  our  own  land.  If  we 
could  bring  the  tropic  airs  to  breathe  along  the  frozen  sur- 
face and  shoot  through  this  solid  mass  we  could  soon 
force  it  to  yield.  And  that  is  just  what  is  coming  to  pass. 
The  breath  of  God  is  blowing  over  it,  the  sun  smites  ever 
hotter,  the  tropics  are  nearing.  Our  secular  civilization  is 
at  work  honey-combing  the  compact  mass.  The  light  and 
heat  of  western  life  are  slowly  melting  the  glaciers.  Streams 
beo-in  to  flow  from  their  base.    Villages  establish  themselves 


Sketches  from  the  3Iissio7i  Field  281 

along  these  water- ways.  The  mill  wheels  of  new  activities 
begin  to  turn.  But  this  purely  secular  work  is  a  perilous 
work.  The  sun  beats  hotter,  the  ice  melts  faster,  the  gla- 
ciers are  honey-combed  and  undermined.  Ilill-sides  are  laid 
bare.  Torrents  rush  into  the  valleys.  The  national  forces 
bound  up  for  centuries  are  let  loose.  They  flood  the  plain 
and  sweep  everything  before  them.  That  which  has  been 
stored  up  in  the  hills  so  long  may  sweep  down  in  wild  riot, 
like  the  torrent  of  the  Conemaugh  at  Johnstown  when  the 
old  barriers  once  gave  way.  Death  and  destruction  are  at 
work.  There  is  no  life  in  the  flood.  The  old  is  broken 
up,  the  new  swept  away.  There  is  no  power  to  check, 
guide,  and  save  the  waters  of  the  plains.  The  destroying 
axe,  too,  pushes  up  the  hills  and  lays  the  forests  low.  The 
slopes  are  drained  of  their  waters,  the  plains  are  a  morass 
or  a  desert.  Desolation  reic^ns.  This  is  not  the  kinirdom 
of  God,  although  the  glaciers  are  gone.  And  this  is  the  sure 
result  of  the  mere  secular  forces  of  life  and  heathendom, 
set  free  in  the  change  of  climate  everywhere  impending 
tliroughout  Asia.  With  the  break-up  of  all  the  old  forms  of 
life  the  streams  will  flow  forth  to  destroy  at  once  heathen- 
ism and  society,  idolatry  and  faith,  superstition  and  rev- 
erence and  morals. 

The  change  of  climate  must  come,  but  it  is  not  enough ; 
it  would  be  the  supreme  disaster  unless  there  were  yet  one 
other  force  at  work.  The  gospel  in  the  hands  of  the  church 
is  the  power  to  turn  this  disaster  into  a  glorious  gain.  As 
the  waters  from  the  African  mountains  are  o-uided  throuirh 
the  whole  irrigated  valley  of  the  Nile  in  such  a  way  that 
they  ever  bring  harvests  and  blessings  to  the  land — bless- 
ings which  are  being  multiplied  through  the  wise  engineer- 
ing of  the  English  in  Egypt — so  may  the  dissolving  waters 


283  Modern  Ifissions  in  the  East 

of  lieathenism  be  controlled.  The  missionaries  are  the  en- 
gineers. They  scatter  seed  all  over  the  plain.  They  dig 
reservoirs,  water-ways,  gates,  and  dikes  for  the  flood.  They 
gently  guide  the  streams  so  that  they  quicken  the  waiting 
seed  instead  of  sweeping  it  away.  A  few  men  may  man- 
age the  flow.  The  melting  glaciers  run  through  the 
trenches,  trickle  through  the  soil,  spring  up  with  the 
seed,  whiten  into  the  harvest,  are  transformed  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.  While  we  wait  at  home  these  glaciers 
melt  and  flow.  The  sun  grows  hotter  and  hotter  upon 
them.  If  we  would  anticipate  the  flood  and  avert  the  ruin 
and  redeem  the  opportunity  we  must  hasten  to  our  work, 
scatter  the  seed,  man  the  dikes,  dig  the  trenches,  lift  the 
gates,  and  in  all  things  be  colaborers  with  him  who  has 
prepared  the  flood  to  sweep  gently,  like  the  river  of  God, 
all  over  the  earth,  making  the  desert  to  blossom  like  the 
rose. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE    CHURCH    AND    MISSIONS 

We  have  studied  the  field,  the  work,  the  workers  abroad. 
Now  what  of  the  church  at  home?  Such  being  its  oppor- 
tunity, what  is  its  fidelity?  How  does  it  respond  to  the 
appeal,  how  spread  the  appeal  ?  How  does  it  enlist  and 
express  the  sympathy  and  co-operation  of  Christians  ?  How 
does  it  organize  its  activities?  What  part  do,  and  might, 
pastors  at  home  take  in  the  work,  and  how  may  they  so 
present  the  cause  as  to  arouse  the  church  to  more  thor- 
ough devotion  to  it?  How  does  the  church  manage  the 
work  abroad,  and  what  part,  if  any,  should  we  have  in  the 
administration  of  the  work  ?  How  may  we  who  do  not  go 
abroad  best  prepare  ourselves  to  aid  at  home  in  the  glori- 
ous enterprise  of  planting  the  church  in  all  lands  ? 

Dismissing  government  missions  from  our  notice,  there 
are  four  methods  by  which  home  endeavor  reaches  out  to 
the  foreign  field : 

1.  Individual ;  2.  Congregational ;  3.  Associational ;  4.  Ec- 
clesiastical. 

1.  Scattered  about  through  the  world,  I  have  met  here 
and  there  individual  missionaries,  independent  of  any  oro-an- 
ization  whatever.  Some  were  living  on  their  own  proper- 
ty, some  were  supporting  themselves  by  teaching  or  other 
work,  devoting  the  remnant  of  time  to  missionary  labor; 
still  others  were  supported,  wholly  or  in  part,  by  the  special 


284  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

contribution  of  friends.  At  Penang  one  of  them  came  on 
board  to  meet  me,  thinking  that  I  was  George  Muller,  of 
Bristol,  who  was  in  the  habit  of  supporting  several  such 
missionaries,  and  was  now,  like  myself,  on  a  journey- 
round  the  world.  I  went  with  him  to  his  home.  What 
they  did  not  receive  from  Muller,  they  eked  out  by  teach- 
ing. The  spectacle  of  their  faith  and  devotion  was  touch- 
ing. Often  a  group  of  friends  at  home  organizes  itself 
into  a  committee  which,  without  making  any  pledges,  sends 
what  money  it  can  from  time  to  time.  Mr.  Simpson,  of 
New  York,  does  much  of  this.  The  society  is,  therefore, 
in  process  of  evolution. 

The  wisdom  of  such  methods  is  not  so  apparent  as  is 
the  faith  of  those  who  engage  in  them.  It  seemed  to  me 
that  India  was  literally  strewn  with  the  wrecks  of  mission 
work  begun  by  such  independent  missionaries,  but  for  one 
reason  and  another  abandoned.  Much  the  same  is  proving 
true  of  Africa.  Under  such  a  system,  or,  rather,  lack  of 
system,  there  is  no  proper  testing  of  men  who  go  out,  no 
certainty  of  support,  no  continuity  or  division  of  labor, 
no  co-operation  of  great  bodies.  The  work  is  fitful  and 
ephemeral.  There  is  waste  of  strength  in  partial  self-sup- 
port, in  making  fresh  experiment  in  matters  already  set- 
tled, in  undue  exposure,  in  correspondence  with  friends. 
What  we  want  in  Asia  and  Africa  is  not  so  much  individ- 
ual attack  as  the  formation  of  an  army  and  attack  by  bat- 
talions. There  is  a  great  call  for  men  of  means  who  shall 
support  themselves,  becoming  honorary  missionaries,  as  they 
are  termed  in  England.  The  time  is  surely  at  hand  when 
many  a  young  man  of  means  will  see  that  he  can  best 
spend  his  property  and  himself  in  building  up  the  church 
of  Christ  in  China  or  India.     But  by  all  means  let  him  put 


The  Church  and  3Iissions  285 

himself  under  the  direction  of  a  Mission  Board,  and  in- 
crease his  own  efficiency  by  all  the  power  of  corporate,  co- 
operative action. 

2.  Of  what  may  be  termed  congregational  organization 
Germany  affords  the  main  example.  In  tlie  midst  of  gen- 
eral indifference,  some  pastor  feels  his  soul  aroused  to 
obedience  to  Christ's  last  command,  lie  inspires  his  own 
church  with  the  mission  spirit,  gathers  their  offerings,  trains 
and  sends  forth  some  of  his  own  young  men  and  women, 
until  the  whole  congregation  is  enlisted  and  manifests  it- 
self as  a  mission  church.  Pastors  Harms,  of  Ilcrmanns- 
burgh,  and  Gossner  and  Knaack,  of  Berlin,  have  done  won- 
derful things  in  this  way.  As  a  rule,  however,  the  work 
stops,  or  is  developed  or  merged  into  a  society.  It  is  much 
to  be  wished  that  something  of  the  same  faith,  ardor,  and 
personal  interest  that  have  pervaded  these  congregations 
might  possess  each  one  of  our  churches.  Where  only  local 
interest  can  be  aroused,  it  may  well  manifest  itself  through 
a  local  congregation. 

3.  Individuals  form  groups,  groups  enlarge  into  commit- 
tees and  congregations,  both  become  societies,  often  shaped 
at  first  by  the  dominating  influence  of  one  man,  but  pass- 
ing more  and  more  beyond  the  grasp  of  any  individual. 
The  Salvation  Army,  with  General  Booth  at  its  head  in 
England  and  Major  Tucker  in  India,  the  China  Inland 
Mission,  organized  and  carried  on  by  the  marvellous  power 
and  skill  of  Hudson  Taylor,  and  Bishop  Taylor's  African 
Mission  illustrate  various  and  most  interesting  phases  of 
this  passage  from  the  individual  to  the  society  form. 

It  is  very  clear  that  two  kinds  of  general  mission  enter- 
prise must  be  organized  into  societies.  First,  all  union 
work  of  various  denominations.     The  ecclesiastical  aspect 


286  Modern  Missions  i7i  the  East 

must  be  dropped,  the  associational  form  assumed.  Our 
Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  and  Young  Women's 
Christian  Associations  illustrate  this  rule  for  home  work, 
our  Bible  and  Tract  Societies  for  work  abroad.  That  was 
the  original  form  of  the  London  Missionary  Society  and 
the  American  Board.  It  is  the  present  form  of  the  China 
Inland  Mission,  the  Basel  Mission  Society,  and  many  others, 
especially  in  Germany.  Yet  many  of  these  societies  have 
been  changed  or  divided  by  doctrinal  or  ecclesiastical  dis- 
sensions, or  by  the  gradual  evolution  of  other  forms  of  the 
work.  There  have  been  numerous  secessions  from  the 
German  societies,  while  the  London  Missionary  Society 
and  American  Board  have  been  left  in  the  hands  of  the 
Congregationalists. 

Again,  mission  work  is  apt  to  be  done  through  societies, 
when  a  certain  portion  of  any  church,  representing  any 
particular  tendency  in  it,  join  together  for  work.  The 
leading  example  of  this  is  in  the  Church  of  England, 
where  the  High  Church  Ritualistic  party  operates  through 
the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  the  Evan- 
gelical party  through  the  Church  Missionary  Society.  The 
society  in  many  such  cases  becomes  practically  a  substi- 
tute for  the  religious  order  of  the  Middle  Ages,  binding 
together  by  closest  ties  those  who  form  a  church  within  a 
church,  and  pursue  special  aims  by  their  own  peculiar 
methods. 

One  other  reason  for  the  existence  of  societies  is  to  be 
found  in  the  loose  ecclesiastical  constitution  of  certain 
churches.  Since  Congregationalists  and  Independents, 
whether  Baptists  or  others,  have  no  central  or  even  local 
authoritative  bodies  besides  the  local  church,  they  are  in- 
clined to  the  principle  of  free  association.     The  only  ques- 


T'lie  Chitrch  and  3Ilssions  287 

tion  witli  them  is  how  siicli  societies  shall  be  organized 
and  how  the  churches  shall  be  properly  represented  in 
them. 

4.  The  organization  of  the  churcli  as  a  mission  church 
seems  to  be  the  ideal  method  wherever  possible.  This  is 
the  ecclesiastical  form.  It  lias  become  the  general,  if  not 
the  invariable,  method  of  both  l^resbyterian  and  Methodist 
churches,  whether  in  Scotland,  Ireland,  England,  Canada, 
or  our  own  country,  in  both  northern  and  southern 
divisions.  The  American  Episcopal  Church  is  organized 
in  the  same  way.  Now  that  German  particularism  is  be- 
ing swallowed  up  in  larger  imperialism,  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  the  German  church  may  swallow  up  many  of  the 
petty  little  societies,  and  rise  in  a  grand  evangelizing  move- 
ment to  do  the  same  for  the  East  that  was  once  done  for 
her  by  the  Irish  and  the  Roman  Church. 

As  the  church  is  the  aim  of  missions,  so  it  should  be  the 
source  and  the  agent  of  missions.  That  must  be  the  ideal 
towards  which  we  aspire.  The  Moravian  Church,  which 
by  putting  its  life  into  missions  has  found  its  life  there, 
and  now  literally  lives  by  its  missions,  comes  the  nearest 
to  this  ideal.  When  we  shall  see  the  great  churches  of 
America  and  England  aglow  with  the  same  eager  desire  to 
propagate  the  faith  and  the  life  throughout  the  world,  the 
coming  of  the  kingdom  cannot  be  long  delayed. 

In  the  case  of  denominations  which  are  loosely  organ- 
ized, however,  like  the  Congregational,  this  distinct  church 
form  seems  hardly  possible  or  desirable.  As  there  is  no 
ecclesiastical  centre  or  authority  outside  of  the  local  church, 
the  society  seems  the  only  form  open.  The  question,  then, 
for  every  such  denomination  is.  How  can  the  churches 
which  combine  in  the  associational  rather  than  in  the  ecclc- 


288  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

siastical  form  be  so  represented  in  the  society  that,  on  the 
one  hand,  it  shall  most  grandly  express  and  develop  the 
missionary  purpose  and  power  in  the  churches,  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  prove  itself,  as  a  society,  the  wisest  and 
most  efficient  agency  for  building  up  the  church  abroad? 
Shall  the  society  be  an  exclusive,  self-perpetuating  corpora- 
tion, only  indirectly  responsible  or  amenable  to  the  church- 
es ?  Shall  there  be,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Church  Mission- 
ary Society  and  London  Missionary  Society,  a  merely 
financial  basis  of  membership  for  all  in  the  denomina- 
tion ?  Shall  the  members  be  elected  by  free  mission  auxil- 
iaries, connected  with  the  local  churches,  by  the  local 
churches  themselves,  or  by  the  local  and  state  associations 
of  the  churches  ?  These  are  questions  which  I  only  sug- 
gest. The  wisdom  of  our  churches  must  answer  them. 
Only  let  us  remember  these  things.  The  mission  work  at 
home,  as  well  as  abroad,  must  grow ;  it  must  grow  by 
evolution  as  well  as  by  accretion  ;  it  must  grow  towards 
larger  unity  instead  of  towards  division.  Well  has  Dr. 
Cust  said :  "  A  society  wdiicli  is  to  continue  and  flourish 
must  be  rooted  in  a  church,  or  a  denomination,  or  a  branch 
of  a  church,  and  must  not  depend  on  the  life  and  energy 
of  an  individual,  a  family,  or  a  private  body  of  friends." 

Coming  now  to  other  features  of  the  home  organization, 
we  have  the  mission  secretary. 

Let  any  one  visit  the  mission  fields  from  point  to  point ; 
let  him  see,  as  he  studies  the  work,  how  from  every  part 
of  it,  as  it  were,  electric  wires  run  to  a  far-off  centre,  in 
Edinburgh,  or  London,  or  New  York,  or  Boston ;  let  him 
trace  the  controlling  influence  of  one  leading  mind  through 
all  the  plans  of  work,  and  see  how  that  mind  is  directing 
battles,  creating  and  moulding  churches,   and  through    a 


The  Church  and  Missions  289 

hundred  different  agencies  founding  an  eternal  kingdom ; 
wlicn  lie  lias  seen  all  this,  and  more,  he  will  come  home 
with  a  new  regard  for  the  exalted  and  responsible  position 
of  mission  secretary,  and  for  many  of  the  grand  men  who 
have  occupied  that  position. 

There  are  some  who  object  to  high  salaries  for  such 
positions,  who  think  there  should  be  good  men  who  will 
volunteer  to  serve  for  little  or  nothing,  and  would  have  the 
secretaries  put  on  a  missionary  basis.  But  the  most  im- 
portant thing  is  to  secure  the  services  of  a  true  Christian 
statesman  of  creative  spirituality,  dominating  influence,  and 
organizing  and  executive  talent  of  the  highest  order.  The 
society  should  be  able  to  command  such  services.  Xo  price 
is  too  high  for  them:  the  lowest  price  is  dear  for  what 
falls  short.  Nor  should  any  board  be  exposed  to  the  un- 
certainties of  volunteer  service.  Happy  the  society  which, 
like  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  can  command  the  ser- 
vices of  such  a  man  as  Secretary  Wigrara  ! 

Back  of  the  secretaries  stand  the  committee,  represent- 
ing the  society  and  carrying  the  main  decisive  authority  in 
their  hands.  They  are  in  ordinary  matters  the  society. 
They  stand  as  representatives  of  the  church  at  home,  as 
legislators,  judges,  financiers  for  the  new  kingdom  abroad. 
They  are  called  on  to  decide  the  most  momentous  and  deli- 
cate questions.  liow  important  that  they  should  be  great- 
ly spiritual  and  spiritually  great;  that  they  should  be  rep- 
resentative and  creative  men,  able  to  mould  sentiment  at 
home  and  nations  abroad !  lIow  important  that  they 
should  have  the  prayers  of  the  church,  that  they  should 
have  large  aims  and  varied  experience  and  clear  judgment 
for  the  new,  unsolved  problems  that  continually  arise  !  It 
is  related  in  the  life  of  Rev.  Henry  Venn,  one  of  the  great- 

19 


290  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

est  mission  secretaries  of  England,  that  tlie  aggregate  time 
spent  in  India  by  seventeen  out  of  twenty-four  regular 
members  of  tlie  committee  was  363  years,  or  over  twenty- 
one  years  apiece.  How  well  would  such  experience  tell  on 
the  mission  work !  Many  of  them  had  been  rulers  in  civil 
matters.     They  would  know  how  to  rule  in  spiritual  things. 

But  great  as  are  the  inevitable  responsibilities  of  the 
secretaries  and  committee,  they  should  not  be  unwisely  en- 
larged. A  very  important  question  in  the  science  of  mis- 
sions is  the  amount  of  freedom  in  self-control  and  devel- 
opment which  should  be  left  to  each  mission.  There  is 
opportunity  here  only  to  suggest  that  in  many  respects  the 
mission  is  far  more  competent  to  decide  its  own  methods 
than  a  committee  in  Edinburgh  or  Boston,  most  of  whom 
have  never  been  on  the  ground.  There  should  be  as  care- 
ful adjustment  of  powers  between  the  mission  and  the 
board  as  between  the  local  and  the  central  governments  in 
our  own  country. 

Of  one  great  need  I  became  more  and  more  convinced 
the  farther  I  went.  That  was  the  need  of  having  frequent 
official  visits  from  some  one  of  the  secretaries  or  the  com- 
mittee, though  not  as  a  legislative  body  to  reverse  methods 
and  ordain  measures  without  further  consultation.  Such  a 
visit  should  be  one,  not  of  control,  but  of  investigation  and 
counsel.  The  deputation  should  inspect,  discuss,  advise ; 
learning  how  to  place  themselves  thoroughly  at  the  mis- 
sionary's stand-point,  and  to  represent  his  views.  Then 
they  may  report  at  home,  and  all  will  be  the  better  for  it. 
The  Congregational  Japanese  and  Chinese  stations  have 
never  been  visited  by  a  secretary  or  any  formal  deputation. 
The  Methodists  send  a  bishop  to  their  fields  twice  in  a 
quadrennium.     Mr.  Wigram,  when  I  met  him,  was  visiting 


Tlie  (Jhurch  and  Missions  291 

the  stations  of  his  society  all  round  tlie  world.  All  save 
the  very  youngest  of  the  secretaries  of  the  Presbyterian 
Board,  north,  have  visited  the  fields  of  which  they  have 
charge :  Turkey  has  been  several  times  partially  visited  by 
Congregational  representatives  ;  India  not  at  all  of  late 
years.  For  the  sake  of  the  work  there,  and  the  church  here, 
and  of  the  secretaries  themselves,  who  arc  to  direct  so  im- 
portant interests,  such  visits  should  be  frequent  and  regular. 

The  Claims  of  Our  Second  Missionary  Century  on  Edu- 
cated Young  Men.  —  By  this  I  do  not  mean  the  claims 
which  any  and  every  century  makes  on  every  follower  of 
Christ.  They  are  the  essential,  abiding  claims.  But  there 
is  a  certain  opportunism  in  God's  work  as  well  as  in 
man's.  There  are  special  claims  which  belong  to  every 
period.  We  are  men  of  our  time  and  are  to  do  the  work 
of  our  time.  "We  have  the  advantages  and  the  disadvan- 
tages of  our  position,  its  responsibilities  and  its  privileges. 
The  missionary  work  at  this  particular  time  has  its  pe- 
culiar appeal  to  special  classes. 

On  the  second  day  of  October,  1892,  the  first  century  of 
modern  reformed  missions  came  to  its  close,  for  that  w^^s 
the  date,  one  hundred  years  ago,  of  the  organization  of 
the  English  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  as  the  result  of 
Carey's  labors,  begun  six  years  before.  It  js  upon  this 
fact  that  the  special  claims  of  which  I  speak  depend,  for 
the  achievements  of  the  past  century  become  our  equip- 
ment and  our  commandment  for  the  century  to  come. 
The  past  century  simply  ministers  to  us.  AVhat  it  has 
done  prepares  and  points  our  way.  It  is  important,  then, 
to  examine  more  closely  what  this  first  century  has  ac- 
complished. 


292  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

1.  It  has  awakened  and  organized  the  missionary  sen- 
timent of  the  church.  Then  no  reformed  church  was  at 
work  or  awake  in  missions.  Now  every  church  is  organ- 
ized and  at  work.  No  less  than  561  societies  are  named 
that  are  directly  or  indirectly  engaged  in  foreign  mis- 
sionary work.  They  include  Loth  sexes,  all  the  lead- 
ing denominations,  and  the  principal  countries  of  Chris- 
tendom. The  societies  are  formed,  the  churches  enlisted, 
the  boards  organized.  Little  remains  to  be  done  in  this 
line  save  to  perfect  and  extend  what  we  already  have. 
Indifference  and  contempt  are  exchanged  for  interest  and 
co-operation. 

2.  It  has  made  ways,  broken  down  gates  and  doors,  un- 
til now  the  whole  world  is  practically  an  open  field.  Thibet 
is  not  yet  formally  opened,  but  the  gospel  reaches  Thibe- 
tians.  There  are  no  more  hermit  nations.  The  whole  earth 
is  accessible. 

3.  It  has  enlisted  civilization  as  an  auxiliary.  Arts  and 
sciences,  literature  and  politics,  inventions  and  discoveries 
— all  have  been  made  contributory  to  the  propagation  of  the 
gospel.  The  printing-press  and  the  camera;  the  locomo- 
tive and  the  steamship ;  the  electric  wires  and  lights ;  geo- 
graphical exploration  and  archaeological  researches ;  the 
spade  that  disentombs  the  buried  past  and  the  wit  that  de- 
ciphers dead  tongues  ;  commercial  enterprise  ;  colonial  ex- 
pansion and  imperial  aggrandizement — all  that  makes  up 
our  modern  civilization  in  its  statical  and  dynamical  forms 
is  in  alliance  with  the  missionary.  The  past  century  has 
harnessed  all  into  the  service  of  the  kingdom.  To  enlarge 
the  phrase  of  Livingstone,  the  end  of  the  civilizing  enter- 
prise is  in  the  missionary  enterprise.  The  missionary  no 
longer  goes  out  alone.     All  the  progressive,  creative  forces 


The  Church  and  Missions  293 

of  the   world  are  in  conspiracy  with   him.     There   is  an 
evangelical  alliance  that  comprehends  creation. 

4.  It  has  created  a  vast  missionary  plant.  Every  kind 
of  material  has  been  accumulated  in  enormous  quantity  as 
supplies  for  the  coming  campaigns.  Wild  languages  have 
been  tamed ;  the  Bible  has  been  translated  into  three  hun- 
dred lanffuaofes,  and  Christian  vernacular  literatures  have 
been  created  for  the  leading  peoples  of  the  world.  Mis- 
sionary property  has  been  secured ;  real  estate  bought ; 
buildings  erected ;  a  foothold  established  at  the  most  im- 
portant strategic  points.  A  grand  spiritual  plant  is  to  be 
found  in  the  accumulated  memories  and  experiences  of 
the  last  century.  Its  achievements  and  its  heroes  are  ours 
for  inspiration  and  instruction.  Many  of  these  heroes  yet 
remain  to  direct  and  kindle  the  recruits  of  the  years  to 
come.  All  this  is  a  magnificent  capital  with  which  the 
mission  business  of  the  new  century  makes  its  start. 

Above  all,  the  past  century  has  gained  a  capital  of  ac- 
cumulated experiences.  It  has  been  an  experimental  pe- 
riod. Attempts  have  been  made,  mistakes  discovered,  in- 
ductions drawn,  and  remedies  applied  or  sought.  A  mass 
of  experience  has  been  collected  and  organized,  which  is 
the  best  part  of  our  plant.  The  art  and  the  science  of 
missions  have  been  established.  The  main  principles  of 
management  are  settled ;  the  one  work  is  differentiated 
into  its  many  branches ;  the  definite  aim  of  missions 
grows  ever  clearer  to  the  view.  There  is  no  need  of  hap- 
hazard work.  The  missionary  life  is  no  longer  a  venture, 
a  voyage  of  discovery,  a  groping  for  ways  and  means.  It 
has  become  a  business,  a  vocation,  a  profession. 

5.  The  past  century  has  undermmed  paganism.  Mod- 
ern science  is  a  menstruum  into  which  all  heathen  mythol- 


394  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

ogies  and  cosmogonies  are  being  flung  and  dissolved. 
They  are  impossible  systems  for  any  educated  mind.  Mod- 
ern thought  and  custom  combined  destroy  the  very  foun- 
dations of  caste,  polygamy,  priestcraft,  fetichism,  and  su- 
perstition. Whatever  may  replace  it,  the  old  has  gone. 
The  whole  structure  of  heathenism  as  a  system  of  thought, 
life,  and  worship  is  tottering  and  tumbling  to  its  fall.  All 
through  the  pagan  world  there  is  chaos  in  the  minds  of 
thinking  men.     The  day  for  creation  has  come. 

6.  The  past  century,  by  means  of  its  great  successes,  has 
aroused  for  the  evangelical  mission  imitators,  parasites,  and 
antagonists.  The  imitators  have  come  from  the  ranks  of 
the  Unitarians,  TJniversalists,  and  German  Liberals.  Those 
who  once  scoffed  have  now  come  to  emulate  us.  They 
would  now  show  us  how  that  is  to  be  done  which  at  first 
they  thought  was  not  to  be  done  at  all.  They  go  over  to 
confer  with  their  Buddhist  co-religionists.  They  let  loose 
upon  them  and  the  native  Christians  the  mysteries  and 
perplexities  of  German  criticism  and  speculation.  There 
are  also  the  Theosophists,  who  use  mission  methods  against 
missions.  Of  these  imitators  some  will  prove  helpers  to 
us,  and  will  be  brought  all  the  more  to  evangelical  Chris- 
tianity through  contact  with  heathenism.  But  helpers  or 
hinderers,  they  are  a  part  of  the  bequest  of  the  past  cen- 
tury. 

The  parasites  are  the  liquor  vessels  that  follow  in  the 
wake  of  the  missionaries  quite  as  often  as  they  precede 
them.  They  are  the  vices  of  civilization  in  general,  the 
tares  sown  in  the  field  that  has  been  prepared  for  the  good 
seed,  the  thistles  that  spring  up  where  the  forests  of  heath- 
enism have  been  cleared  to  make  room  for  the  gospel.  It 
is  inevitable  but  that  these  parasites  should  come,  but  woe 


TJie  Church  and  3£issions  295 

unto  tliose  by  whom  tliey  come.  Wherever  the  church 
opens  the  way  the  world  will  follow,  and  seek  to  turn  the 
gains  of  the  church  to  its  own  benefit.  This  is  a  part  of 
the  bequest  from  the  first  century,  and  must  always  be 
taken  into  account. 

The  antagonists  arc  the  aroused  and  alarmed  systems  of 
paganism.  The  movements  which  Mohammedanism,  Hin- 
duism, and  Buddhism  at  first  treated  with  indifference  and 
tolerant  contempt  they  have  now  come  to  dread  with  a  bit- 
ter fear.  A  strong  reaction  has  set  in  against  Christian 
evangelism  and  education.  A  revived  and  revised  pagan- 
ism has  adopted  many  Christian  methods  for  the  bitter 
fight  against  Christianity.  Half-way  houses  of  belief  liave 
been  provided  for  those  who  are  ashamed  of  the  old  but 
afraid  of  the  new.  These  heathen  systems,  intensified  or 
modernized,  are  fighting  for  their  life  with  every  weapon 
of  compromise,  stratagem,  and  fiercest  persecution.  It  is 
all  tlie  strongest  kind  of  tribute  to  the  power  of  the  gos- 
pel, a  despairing  prophecy  of  its  coming  triumph.  This 
antagonism,  defiant  and  subtle,  because  so  desperate,  forms 
a  marked  feature  of  the  present  situation.  It  too  is  an 
achievement  and  bequest  of  the  first  century. 

7.  Finally,  the  past  century  has  created  in  heathendom 
a  native  Christianity.  Regenerate  souls,  infant  churches, 
a  trained  native  ministry.  Christian  education,  multiplying 
institutions  of  every  kind — these  are  the  first  fruits  of 
the  coming  harvest.  Foreigners  have  actually  founded  an 
indigenous,  vernacular  Christianity  in  every  great  country 
of  the  world.  The  beginning  of  the  end  has  come.  This 
completes  the  equipment  with  which  the  second  mission- 
ary century  begins  its  work.  An  organized  Church  as  the 
agent ;  an  open  world  as  the  field  of  missions  ;  civilization 


296  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

as  an  ally ;  vast  and  varied  accumulations  as  a  capital ; 
an  undermined  and  honeycombed  paganism ;  imitators, 
parasites  and  antagonists ;  and  an  inaugurated  Christianity 
— these  are  the  sevenfold  gifts  with  which  we  commence 
our  work. 

Now  since  every  gift  is  a  trust,  and  all  added  equipment  is 
so  much  added  responsibility,  these  legacies  from  the  past 
only  constitute  new  claims,  above  all  that  before  existed,  on 
all  who  can  make  use  of  them — that  is,  on  educated  young 
men.  Men  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  century  had  the 
responsibility  of  commencement ;  we  have  the  responsibil- 
ity of  continuance.  If  they  had  not  begun,  the  world 
must  have  waited.  If  we  do  not  continue,  much  more 
than  delay  occurs.  Our  slackness  wastes  their  endeavors. 
Our  unfaithfulness  squanders  their  bequests.  Yes,  more 
than  that.  Not  only  is  their  work  lost,  speaking  humanly, 
if  we  do  not  accept  it  with  all  its  multiplying  claims,  but 
the  imitators,  the  parasites,  the  antagonists  they  have 
aroused  by  their  successes  will  capture  their  plant  and 
win  their  spoils.  We  must  accept  the  responsibility  of 
our  answered  prayers.  We  must  accept  the  responsibility 
of  our  undertakings  and  of  our  achievements.  The  twen- 
tieth century  should  be  decisive  and  final  in  the  mission 
work  of  winning  the  world  for  Christ.  We  are  respon- 
sible for  that  decision. 

Let  us  look  still  more  closely  at  the  peculiarities  of  the 
appeal  made  to  us.  In  very  many  respects  it  is  quite  dif- 
ferent from  that  made  a  century  ago.  Then  the  vast  pa- 
gan world  was  almost  unknown  to  the  church.  A  great 
mystery  of  darkness  and  horror  hung  over  it.  Its  awful 
sins  and  impending  doom  weighed  upon  the  awakening 
heart  of    Christianity.     There  was  a  vagueness,  a  terror, 


The,  Church  and  3Iissions  297 

and,  at  the  same  time,  a  licroism  of  venture  and  enthusi- 
asm and  love  that  left  their  mark  on  the  whole  of  the 
work.  There  seemed  to  be  an  extra-sanctity  about  the 
foreign  missionary  work  which  attracted  some  and  irri- 
tated others.  Professor  Phelps,  of  Andover,  expressed 
himself  strongly  against  this  abnorjnal  estimate  which  re- 
sulted in  the  disparagement  of  the  home  mission  work. 
The  depravity  of  the  heathen  and  the  hardships  of  the 
work  formed  two  of  the  strongest  appeals  for  interest  in 
it.  There  was  much  indefinite  sentiment  with  little  ex- 
perience to  fall  back  upon. 

Now  we  know  much  more  about  the  heathen  world. 
Do  we  feel  less?  Sometimes  it  seems  so.  But  I  think  it 
is  only  that  our  feeling  is  of  a  more  diffused,  varied,  re- 
flective kind.  The  work  has  grown  plain  and  definite. 
We  have  become  familiar  with  it.  We  have  listened  to 
missionaries  of  every  land.  Perhaps  we  have  even  studied 
with  those  whom  they  have  plucked  like  brands  from  the 
burning.  AYe  realize  more  the  power  and  evil  of  heathen- 
ism as  we  know  it  better,  but  we  also  realize  more  our 
kinship  with  the  heathen.  We  think  more  of  the  common 
humanity  now,  where  at  first  we  thought  more  of  their 
peculiar  paganism.  And  the  appeal,  which  at  first  was 
made  to  a  vague  but  powerful  sentiment,  is  now  addressed 
to  reason  and  conscience  and  all  of  our  manhood.  Where 
we  once  dwelt  on  the  hardships  of  the  missionary  as  a 
reason  for  sympathy  and  help,  we  now  dwell  on  his  oppor- 
tunities. We  claim  no  hypersanctity  for  him,  only  the 
special  qualifications  for  a  special  work.  More  and  more 
this  work,  which  has  been  differentiated  into  so  many 
branches,  calls  for  specialists  who  shall  yet  be  adaptable 
for  all    branches.     The  hardships  and    the  heroism  seem 


298  3Iodern  Missions  in  the  East 

less;  tlie  understanding  and  the  equipment  are  much 
greater.  All  the  work  done  at  first  was  necessarily  sub- 
structural,  largely  out  of  sight.  Now  the  skill  is  needed 
for  perfecting  the  results  of  others. 

Moreover,  the  relations  between  the  work  at  home  and 
the  work  abroad  are  in  a  way  to  be  much  more  correctly 
adjusted.  During  the  past  century  steam  and  electricity 
have  made  the  earth  shrink  to  one-tenth  its  former  size. 
And  Christ  has  made  the  heart  of  man  expand  to  take  in 
the  universe.  The  interdependence,  the  reciprocity,  the 
solidarity  of  man  has  grown  plain.  Man  is  at  home  in 
the  universe ;  much  more  the  Christian.  The  church  is  a 
thing  of  humanity.  No  country  is  foreign  to  it.  It  is 
everywhere  at  home.  Therefore,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the 
word,  there  are  no  foreign  missions.  Every  mission  is  a 
home  mission.  It  is  the  church  in  America,  in  Europe, 
in  Asia,  in  Africa.  And  we  are  to  decide  between  the 
claims  of  the  respective  fields  with  the  understanding  of 
this  truth.  As  between  Maine  and  Oregon,  or  between 
New  York  and  Chicago,  so  between  America  and  China, 
between  Bombay  and  Yokohama.  There  is  no  super- 
sanctity  about  either  choice.  The  only  question  is  as  to 
God's  purpose  for  each  one,  in  view  of  all  the  circum- 
stances. 

Tbere  is  another  sense  in  which  the  call  to  go  to  a  for- 
eign land  will  come  to  us  as  a  call  to  a  home  mission  work. 
At  a  time  when  the  patriotic  claims  of  our  country,  its  pe- 
culiar and  pressing  claims,  are  forcing  themselves  on  every 
heart,  it  is  important  to  remember  this.  The  understand- 
ing of  it  brings  us  deep  down  into  the  very  heart  of  the 
mission  work.  The  aim  of  all  mission  work  is  to  establish 
the  home  church.     This  very  precisely  marks  the  limit  of 


Tlie  Church  and  3Ilssions  299 

all  missionary  work.     It  is  to  found  in  every  land  an  in- 
digenous church. 

It  is  just  this  special  aim  of  all  missionary  work  which 
brings  into  prominence  the  peculiar  appeal  made  by  the 
work  in  Asia  and  Africa  to  those  to  whom  it  is  at  all  pos- 
sible. It  is  the  fact  that  their  work  in  these  lands  is  the 
initiative  work,  and  nothing  more  than  this.  I  do  not 
mean  that  missionaries  are  only  to  evangelize.  The  cry, 
"The  evangelization  of  the  world  within  this  nineteenth 
century !"  seems  to  me  a  delusive  cry.  It  puts  us  upon  a 
false  scent,  leads  us  upon  a  false  track.  It  emphasizes  a 
part  of  the  work  which  needs  to  be  conceived  as  a  whole. 
It  sets  an  arbitrary  time-limit  for  which  we  have  no  au- 
thority. The  times  and  seasons  the  Father  hath  ordained. 
Instant  obedience,  entire  consecration  to  the  whole  work 
of  God  and  his  kingdom  are  what  is  required.  That  part 
of  the  work  in  christianizing  the  world  which  belongs  to 
us  must  be  done  in  its  entirety  and  variety.  Our  initiative 
means  laying  the  foundations  of  the  kingdom  in  all  its 
greatness  that  the  will  of  God  may  be  done  on  earth  as  in 
heaven.  The  church  is  not  simply  a  herald  ;  it  is  a  seed,  a 
leaven,  a  parent.  It  is  to  reproduce  itself  all  over  the 
earth.     Missions  are  the  reproductive  faculty  of  the  church. 

Now  the  great  claim  of  this  new  century  on  our  educated 
young  men  is  found  in  the  need  of  them  as  founders,  pio- 
neers, architects,  and  engineers  of  the  kingdom  of  God — 
superintendents  and  bishops,  if  you  choose  so  to  call  them. 
They  are  to  take  much  the  same  position  in  all  foreign  lands 
that  is  taken  in  India  by  English  officials.  That  vast  coun- 
try is  occupied  by  about  70,000  English  troops.  Not  much 
more  than  100,000  English  make  up  the  whole  force,  civil 
and  military,  that  rules  this  empire.    IIow  is  it  done  ?   Sim- 


300  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

ply  by  using  the  natives  for  the  government  of  their  own 
country.  How  is  a  small  missionary  force  to  organize  all 
heathen  lands  for  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  Simply  by  in- 
ducting the  natives  into  the  work.  Only,  as  the  English 
mean  to  stay  in  India,  and  the  missionary  should  not  stay, 
there  is  a  difference.  The  missionary  should  build  and 
train  so  well  that  he  will  soon  render  his  presence  needless, 
so  that  he  may  commit  his  temporary  and  provisional  work 
to  the  permanent  charge  of  the  native  ministry,  where  it  prop- 
erly belongs.  It  is  quality,  therefore,  that  counts,  much 
more  than  quantity. 

That  is  the  reason  why  we  appeal  to  our  very  best  men 
to  undertake  the  work  of  organizing  Africa  and  Asia  for 
Christ.  They  have  a  pivotal  importance  which  can  be  no- 
where surpassed.  Their  position  corresponds,  not  to  that 
of  a  missionary  in  Dakota,  but  to  that  of  the  superintend- 
ent of  missions  in  any  one  of  our  states.  All  such  super- 
intendents must  be  picked  men.  In  fact,  the  history  of 
missions  consists  mainly  of  the  biography  of  a  few  great 
evangelizers,  organizers,  educators,  like  Carey,  Duff,  the 
Scudders,  Nevius,  Hamlin,  and  others,  who  have  had  the 
power  to  enlist  native  converts  in  work  for  the  salvation 
of  their  own  land. 

The  church  as  a  whole  has  not  yet  got  hold  of  the  es- 
sential aim  of  its  missions.  Very  few  pastors  have  fully 
grasped  it.  Even  missionaries  do  not  always  get  its  pre- 
cise significance.  Some  of  our  great  secretaries,  like  those 
of  the  Presbyterian  and  American  Board,  have  done  so. 
Some  of  the  leading  missionaries,  like  Dr.  Nevius  and  the 
Japanese  missionaries  as  a  class,  have  done  so.  Only  gen- 
erals can  be  expected  to  comprehend  the  meaning  of  the 
entire  campaign.     But  the  more  we  emphasize  the  impor- 


The  Church  and  Missions  301 

tance  of  home  missions  and  the  force  of  patriotism,  and  re- 
member that  it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive,  the 
stronger  will  be  the  claim  on  us  to  give  to  the  peoples  of 
every  land  the  chance  to  have  home  missions  of  their  own, 
to  have  a  Christian  country  which  they  can  love  and  serve ; 
in  fact,  to  make  it  possible  at  once  to  have  such  a  senti- 
ment as  patriotism,  and  to  exercise  it  for  the  salvation  of 
each  land. 

Wherever  Christianity  is  taught  missions  should  in  some 
way  be  taught.  They  furnish  at  once  an  argument  for  and 
an  interpretation  of  Christianity  which  is  both  clear  and 
strong.  Their  force  as  an  apologetic  has  never  been  prop- 
erly estimated.  Yet  they  need  not  always  be  taught  as  a 
separate  branch.  They  might  be  studied  in  our  schools 
and  colleges,  either  in  their  interworking  with  universal 
history  or  among  the  evidences  of  Christianity.  They  could 
be  introduced  into  the  reading-books.  They  should  be 
taught  in  Sunday-schools,  not  as  single  quarterly  lessons 
once  or  twice  a  year,  but  as  a  part  of  the  very  warp  and 
woof  of  the  whole  Bible,  and  especially  as'  the  illustration 
and  the  continuance  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 

But  we  may  well  ask  what  place  this  study  should  have 
in  a  theological  course. 

It  certainly  ought  to  have  some  place.  It  has  taken  a 
long  time  to  come  to  that  point.  As  usual,  the  Germans 
are  ahead  of  us  here,  as  in  most  points  touching  the  theory 
and  development  of  studies. 

The  Academy  of  Sciences  in  Berlin  could  not  be  opened 
until  the  Elcctress,  Sophia  Charlotte,  had  had  Leibnitz  insert 
missions  among  its  objects.  In  1844  Professor  Julius  Wig- 
gers  lectured  in  the  University  of  Rostock  two  hours  a  week 
for  one  semester  on  the  history  of  missions,  to  an  audience 


303  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

composed  of  tliree  persons.  In  1846  a  fund  of  a  tliousand 
florins  was  given  to  the  Berlin  Missionary  Society  to  help 
found  a  mission  lectureship.  Neander  favored  the  plan,  and 
proposed  Docent  Jacobi ;  but  it  fell  through,  and  at  last 
accounts  the  money  was  still  unused.  In  Holland  lectures 
on  missions  are  among  the  required  subjects  in  a  theolog- 
ical examination.  Professor  Plath,  a  well-known  mission 
writer  and  superintendent,  occupies  a  special  chair  of  mis- 
sions in  the  Berlin  University.  At  the  Liverpool  Mission- 
ary Conference,  in  1860,  a  Duff  Mission  Lectureship  was 
founded,  on  which  at  least  two  courses  of  lectures  have 
been  given  and  published — one  on  "  Mediaeval  Missions," 
by  Rev.  Thomas  S.  Smith ;  the  other,  "  The  Dawn  of  the 
Modern  Mission,"  by  Rev. William  Fleming  Stevenson,  D.D. 
In  1874  a  lectureship  on  "Mission  AVork"  was  established 
in  Union  Seminary,  and  forms  a  part  of  the  regular  course. 
In  1867  the  Hyde  Lectureship  was  founded  in  Andover 
Seminary.  In  1884  a  lectureship  on  missions  for  ten  lect- 
ures annually  was  established  at  Hartford  Seminary.  The 
University  of  the  City  of  New  York  has  lately  added  a 
chair  of  Comparative  Religion,  viewed  specially  in  relation 
to  Christian  missions.  This  was  endowed  by  a  single  gift. 
The  theological  seminary  at  New  Brunswick  has  a  Graves 
Mission  Lectureship,  filled  for  the  first  time  by  Dr.  Pier- 
son.  It  is  becoming  a  common  thing  to  introduce  such  a 
course  in  other  theological  seminaries.  In  Beloit  College 
the  Porter  Mission  Lectureship  provides  for  instruction  once 
in  two  or  three  years. 

This  is  the  middle  choice  between  making  a  professor- 
ship of  this  and  related  subjects  and  delegating  it  entirely  to 
professors,  already  overburdened  in  their  own  departments. 
However  it  may  be  arranged,  no  student  should  be  allowed 


The  Church  and  3flssions  303 

to  graduate  from  a  theological  seminary  in  this  our  mis- 
sion century  without  having  this  great  subject  opened  out 
before  him  in  its  broad  outlines,  most  developed  forms,  and 
in  its  connection  with  other  branches  of  church  work.  The 
personal  appeal  may  be  left  to  other  agents,  but  the  science 
of  missions  should  be  presented. 

And  what  place  does  the  science  of  missions  occupy 
among  the  theological  sciences  ?  The  form  of  its  presen- 
tation will  depend  much  on  the  department  to  which  it  is 
assigned.  So  far  as  missions  have  had  any  place  at  all  in 
theology,  it  has  usually  been  as  a  part  of  church  history. 
The  question  has  been,  "  How  has  the  church  expanded  ?" 
instead  of,  "How  shall  the  church  be  extended?"  It  would 
be  quite  as  appropriate  to  exhaust  dogmatics  in  the  his- 
tory of  doctrine.  And  when  missions  are  given  a  merely 
historic,  narrative  form,  the  practical  problems  and  the 
personal  duty  are  apt  to  be  neglected. 

Schleiermacher,  the  great  organizer  of  theology,  was  quick 
to  see  that  the  true  place  of  missions  was  in  practical 
theology.  He  did  not  thoroughly  establish  it,  however, 
and  neither  has  Hagenbach  taken  missions  into  his  Ency- 
clopcedia,  nor  Nitzsch  into  his  Practical  Theolor/ij.  When 
Ehrenfeuchter,  however,  first  clearly  defined  practical  theol- 
ogy as  the  theory  of  the  self-realization  of  the  church, 
he  was  able,  with  detail  and  great  wisdom,  to  treat  mis- 
sions as  the  propagating  action  of  the  church,  making  her 
own  self-extension.  In  Zockler's  Handbook  of  Theological 
Sciences^  which  should  be  consulted,  two  new  branches  are 
introduced  into  practical  theology :  Diaconics,  or  the  theory 
of  church  home  beneficence,  and  Evangelistics,  or  the  theory 
of  missions.  It  seems  as  if  tliis  might  be  the  final  dispo- 
sition of  the  science,  although  Warneck,  in  his  Emngelische 


304  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

Missionslehre,  as  one  volume  of  the  "Library  of  Practical 
Theology,"  is  inclined  to  divide  the  science  between  church 
history  and  practical  theology.  But  as  in  every  science, 
the  history  should  precede  as  introduction.  This  would 
involve  the  history  of  the  establishment  and  extension  of 
Christianity  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  other  religions  on  the 
other.  Next  to  the  historical  would  come  the  speculative 
treatment.  This  would  involve  the  development  of  the 
science  of  missions  in  its  connection  with  apologetics  and 
the  philosophy  of  religion  on  the  one  side,  and  with  dog- 
matics and  ethics  on  the  other.  Every  one  engaged  in 
the  extension  of  the  church  at  home  or  abroad  is  required 
constantly  to  deal  with  these  very  questions.  It  would  be 
a  great  gain  to  carefully  study  them  beforehand,  in  their 
relation  to  one  another. 

Last  of  all  would  come  the  practical  treatment.  Out  of 
all  the  existing  mass  of  material  something  like  a  theory 
of  mission -practice  might  be  constructed  which  would 
properly  prepare  every  student  at  least  to  comprehend, 
and,  when  needed,  to  undertake,  the  work.  Like  every 
practical  science,  missions  are  still  in  the  experimental 
stage.  But  on  most  points  there  is  enough  of  accumu- 
lated experience  to  furnish  important  aid.  A  true  and 
complete  science  of  missions  would  view  every  theologi- 
cal science  from  the  mission  stand-point.  It  would  deal 
with  geography,  particularly  emphasizing  the  divine  sig- 
nificance of  the  configuration  and  relations  of  different 
parts  of  the  earth's  surface;  with  philology  in  its  rela- 
tion to  the  word  of  God  ;  with  ethnology,  showing  the 
connection  between  race  characteristics  and  the  work  of 
the  gospel;  and  with  general  history,  as  the  expression 
of  a  divine  redemptive  purpose. 


The  Church  and  Missions  305 

The  science  of  missions  would  trace  the  expansive  proc- 
esses of  the  kini^doni  of  God,  by  which,  as  througli  the 
working  of  elemental  and  unconscious  forces,  it  more  and 
more  takes  possession  of  the  earth,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
the  co-operation  with  such  divinely  planned  national,  so- 
cial, and  historical  movements  of  the  efforts  of  the  human 
will  directly  ap[)lied  to  the  work  of  converting  souls  and 
propagating  the  church. 

Such  a  science  as  this  cannot  be  complete  until  tlie  con- 
quest of  the  earth  is  complete,  and  the  practical  need  of 
the  science  overpast.  But,  as  in  all  such  cases,  its  value 
depends  on  its  suggestiveness  rather  than  on  its  com- 
pleteness. 

Surely  there  is  no  nobler  work,  no  finer,  higlicr  art,  than 
that  of  diffusing  the  church  throughout  the  world.  Surely 
no  grander  study  than  the  study  of  that  work.  It  should 
no  more  be  reserved  for  missionaries  than  dogmatics  for 
theologians.  No  one  of  the  children  of  God  can  afford 
to  ignore  it — least  of  all  the  ambassadors  of  Christ. 

20 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE    SPIRITUAL    EXPANSION    OF    CHRISTENDOM 

Christendom  designates  the  domain  ruled  by  Christian 
institutions.  Expansion  describes  that  which  may  pro- 
ceed from  either  growth  or  effect,  or  from  both  combined. 
It  would  denote  on  the  one  side  the  natural  processes  of 
increase  which  are  to  be  found  in  every  organism,  while 
not  excluding  on  the  other  side  that  operation  of  the  will 
which  seeks  the  enlargement  of  any  undertaking  or  do- 
minion. In  all  highest  organisms  it  is  just  this  co-opera- 
tion of  natural  process  and  volitional  purpose  that  consti- 
tutes true  organic  life. 

The  expansion  of  Christendom,  first  of  all,  suggests  the 
spontaneous  working  of  powers  and  processes  inherent  in 
Christianity,  by  which,  quite  apart  from  any  conscious  hu- 
man endeavor  towards  that  end,  it  ever  tends  to  the  en- 
largement, evolution,  and  completion  of  itself.  At  the 
same  time  it  leaves  room  for  that  action  of  the  human  will 
which  is  an  essential  element  in  the  propagation  of  every 
system  that  appeals  to  human  affections  and  shapes  human 
conduct. 

When  we  speak  of  mission  work  we  usually  describe  the 
extension  of  Christianity  through  the  direct  action  of  the 
will  strained  to  a  noble  Christian  purpose.  But  that  con- 
secrated purpose — the  sublimest  that  has  ever  entered  into 
the  mind  of  man — we  cannot  rightly  estimate,  either  in  its 


The  Spiritual  Expansion  of  Christendom        307 

character,  its  opportunity,  or  its  promise,  until  we  see  how 
it  is  but  the  complement  of  many  unconscious  agencies 
which,  under  divine  guidance,  all  converge  on  that  goal 
which  has  ever  been  the  mission  aim. 

The  expansion  of  Christendom  may  be  of  as  many  kinds 
as  there  are  distinct  potent  elements  in  that  divine  life  in 
the  world  which  we  call  Christianity.  The  trend  of  this 
chapter  is  towards  the  spiritual  expansion.  But  in  a  cer- 
tain way  distinct  from  that  there  may  be  the  political,  the 
industrial,  the  intellectual,  and  the  moral  expansion  of 
Christendom. 

1.  Without  the  least  spiritual  aim,  as  blindly  and  as  in- 
evitably as  a  physical  force,  the  political  expansion  of  Chris- 
tendom proceeds  with  a  swiftness  that  reminds  one  of  the 
Indian  juggler's  feat  of  making  under  our  very  eyes  a  mango- 
seed  grow  into  a  tree.  How  vast  is  this  political  expansion 
by  which  the  Christian  powers  are  occupying  the  world ! 
It  embraces  the  whole  of  North  and  South  America,  the 
whole  of  Europe  (except  the  point  of  the  Balkan  Penin- 
sula), Australia,  the  great  islands  of  the  seas,  and  as  many 
of  the  small  islands  as  it  takes  the  trouble  to  occupy. 
Africa  and  Asia  remain. 

The  partition  of  Africa  among  the  native  and  European 
states  has  left  unappropriated  only  an  area  of  1,584,398 
square  miles  out  of  the  total  area  of  11,514,500  square  miles 
— one-tenth  of  the  whole,  and  20,000,000  population  out 
of  a  total  of  130,185,000.  All  of  the  appropriating  states, 
whether  native  or  foreign,  are  Christian  except  Turkey, 
which  nominally  holds  Egypt  and  Tripoli,  with  about 
8,000,000  population.  But  Egypt  is  in  the  hands  of 
England.  It  is  only  a  question  of  a  few  years  when 
all   of  Africa,  including   Morocco,  Tripoli,  Dahomey,  and 


308  3fodern  Missi07is  in  the  East 

the  Soudan,  will  be  occupied  or  protected  by  Christian 
powers. 

In  Asia  more  than  one-half  the  territory  and  more  than 
one-third  the  population  are  under  Christian  rule,  mainly 
Russian  and  English.  There  are  a  few  small  states,  wholly 
or  partially  independent,  such  as  Corea,  Persia,  Siam,  Af- 
ghanistan, Beloochistan,  Nepal,  etc.,  which,  politically  speak- 
ing, are  simply  puppets  in  the  hands  of  other  powers. 
And  there  are  the  three  great  empires  of  Turkey,  including 
Egypt,  Bulgaria,  Bosnia,  etc. ;  Japan  and  China,  including 
Manchuria,  Mongolia,  Thibet,  etc.  It  is  in  these  three  em- 
pires that  the  main  opponents  of  Christendom  are  to  be 
found. 

But  the  Turkish  Empire  is  doomed.  Whoever  may  follow 
the  Turk,  it  is  certain  that  Turkey  will  become  a  Christian 
country,  and  with  that  event  Moslem  power  will  be  broken. 

Japan  is  simply  in  the  stage  of  transition  from  pantheism 
to  Christianity.  A¥ithin  a  very  few  years  it  will  enter  mto 
the  fraternity  of  Christian  nations. 

China  alone  remains,  standing  firmly,  independently,  out- 
side of  Christendom.  Survey  the  wide  world  over.  Actu- 
ally, or  potentially,  everything  else  has  been  swallowed  up. 
Everywhere  in  every  continent  you  shall  find  Christendom 
in  such  marvellous  ascendency  that  it  is  not  only  dominat- 
ing, but  swiftly  and  surely  assimilating,  every  country  and 
every  people  under  the  sun  with  the  solitary  exception  of 
China.  At  a  rough  estimate,  we  may  say  that  Christen- 
dom includes  within  its  dominion  about  two-thirds  of  the 
land  of  the  earth  and  800,000,000  of  the  1,500,000,000 
of  its  population.  All  but  China  are  really  colonies  or 
tributaries  of  Christendom.  But  at  China  it  makes  pause. 
Of  the  700,000,000  not  actually  under  its  sway,  China  rules 


Tlte  iSpii'liaal  J^xjjansion  of  Christendom        309 

over  400,000,000 — one-lialf  as  many  as  all  Christendom.     It 
is  the  greatest  empire  the  world  has  ever  seen. 

What  shall  we  say,  then,  of  China  ?  We  might  say 
that  it  is  subject  to  the  will  of  Christendom  and  could  not 
resist  any  one  of  the  great  powers.  But  it  is  altogether 
too  mighty  an  empire  for  us  to  assume  that  this  weakness 
will  be  long  continued.  The  Saxon,  Slavonic,  and  Mon- 
golian are  the  three  great  races  of  destiny,  sure  to  dom- 
inate the  world  between  them.  Christendom  to-day  has 
a  panic  dread  of  receiving  the  Chinese  within  its  bor- 
ders. The  Chinese  as  a  body  would  gladly  get  rid  of  the 
Christians  within  their  own.  But  they  are  more  patient 
and  wise  than  they  are  strong.  China  is  slowly  discover- 
ing and  developing  its  strength,  and  if  only  fortunate  in  its 
rulers  and  in  a  century  of  delay  will  probably  remain  the 
Colossus  of  nations,  and  one  of  the  most  important  factors 
in  the  development  of  the  world.  It  still  opposes  a  firm 
front  to  the  political  omnipotence  of  Christendom.  But  it 
is  the  only  exception.  And  England  to-day  rules  over  a 
population,  including  protectorates,  of  378,725,857  —  over 
one-quarter  of  the  globe. 

Coincident  with  this  enlargement  of  political  power,  and 
even  surpassing  it,  has  been — 

2.  The  industrial  expansion  of  Christendom.  I  include 
under  this  head  both  its  mechanical  and  its  commercial 
features,  the  diffusion  of  its  trade  and  of  its  tools,  whether 
of  peace  or  war.  This  diffusion  is  simply  universal.  There 
is  absolutely  no  exception  to  the  supremacy  of  industrial 
Christendom.  It  more  and  more  monopolizes  the  markets 
of  the  world,  and  founds  its  monarchy  as  much  on  the  in- 
terests of  pagans  as  of  Christians.  The  motto  that  trade 
follows  the  flag  should  here  be  reversed,  for  trade  leads 


310  Modern  Missions  iii  the  East 

the  flag.  It  pushes  on  ahead  of  it,  and  lends  a  prestige 
and  power  which  are  quite  incalculable  to  that  system  of 
which  it  is  the  outgrowth.  The  entire  material  civiliza- 
tion of  Christendom  is  being  eagerly,  persistently,  and  suc- 
cessfully inserted  into,  and  quite  as  eagerly,  resolutely,  and 
insatiably  absorbed  by,  heathendom.  Manchester  cloths 
and  Birmingham  wares,  American  petroleum,  Waterbury 
watches,  Connecticut  clocks,  sewing-machines,  typewrit- 
ers, bicycles,  street-cars,  telegraphs,  telephones,  gas  and 
electric  lights,  and  all  steam  machinery,  whether  locomo- 
tive or  stationary,  are  to  be  found  in  every  country  of  the 
world.  Rifles,  cannon,  gunboats,  and  all  implements  of 
war  are  forced  upon  the  countries  of  heathendom  by  their 
very  fears  and  aversion  to  Christendom.  Every  product 
and  every  method  of  that  marvellous  inventiveness  and  pro- 
gressiveness  which  are  among  the  results  of  the  ferment 
which  a  little  leaven  has  stirred  within  the  lump  is  estab- 
lishing itself  in  unquestioned  supremacy  in  the  oldest  and 
highest  civilizations  of  the  East.  Even  China  is  steadily 
yielding  to  the  irresistible  march  of  western  industry. 
Her  merchants  are  too  keen  for  gain  to  reject  foreign 
trade  or  foreign  tools.  The  more  she  aims  to  be  inde- 
pendent of  political  Christendom  the  more  she  must  im- 
prove the  advantages  offered  her  by  industrial  Christen- 
dom. Simply  for  purposes  of  self-defence  she  must  have 
telegraphs,  railroads,  arsenals,  gunboats,  foreign  weapons, 
and  foreign  drill  for  her  troops. 

Thus  the  ships  of  Christendom  fly  their  flags  and  ply 
their  trade  in  every  harbor  of  the  world.  With  its  two 
hands  of  commerce  and  industry  Christendom  has  seized 
every  country  under  the  sun,  and  is  tightening  its  grip 
every  year. 


The  Spiritual  Expansion  of  Christendom       311 

But  far  more  subtle,  penetrating,  and  fatal  to  heathen- 
ism is — 

3.  The  intellectual  expansion  of  Christendom.  This 
follows  inevitably  on  both  the  political  and  industrial  en- 
largement. Christian  governments  rest  in  a  greater  or  less 
degree  on  the  intelligence  of  their  subjects.  Education  is 
recognized  as  a  national  duty.  The  school  follows  the  flag 
as  well  as  trade,  and  all  fresh  acquisitions  of  territory, 
whether  by  colonies  or  conquests,  are  soon  brought  under 
the  sway  of  the  school-master.  No  other  country,  indeed, 
does  for  its  dominions  what  England  is  doing  for  India  in 
the  way  of  education.  But  Russia,  France,  Holland,  and 
the  other  Christian  states  all  do  something  towards  civiliz- 
ing their  possessions,  and  impart  to  heathen  minds  some- 
thing of  the  intellectual  conceptions  which  are  involved  in 
Christianity. 

And,  like  commerce,  the  school  precedes  the  flag.  The 
school-master  is  abroad.  The  industrial  and  mechanical 
developments  of  our  time  are  based  on  science.  The  arts 
of  Christendom  cannot  be  grasped  and  utilized  without 
taking  its  sciences.  The  more  any  country  aims  at  po- 
litical independence  and  industrial  development  the  more 
must  it  seek  to  gain  the  secret  and  power  of  Christendom 
by  mastering  its  science,  until  the  time  shall  come  when  it 
can  dispense  with  foreign  instructors  and  go  its  own  way 
in  the  new  paths.  Japan,  Corea,  and  China  import  school- 
teachers and  export  students  in  order  that  thev  may  be  at 
last  self-instructing  and  independent.  The  western  sci- 
ences are  introduced  into  the  Chinese  examinations,  and 
the  Emperor  of  China  busies  himself  in  the  study  of  the 
English  language. 

This  introduction  of    western  science  means  sooner  or 


312  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

later  the  introduction  of  western  history  and  philosophy — 
in  fact,  the  whole  of  western  literature.  The  entire  body 
of  western  thought,  learning,  discovery,  imagination,  and 
speculation  must  follow.  The  hump  of  the  camel  is  enter- 
ing the  tent.  The  whole  intellectual  system  Avhich  under- 
lies, pervades,  unites,  and  vitalizes  Christendom  must  assert 
itself  and  do  its  dissolving,  explosive,  transforming  work. 
Even  Islam  is  not  unaffected.  Turks,  Arabs,  and  Indian 
Moslems  are  beinof  tau2:ht  the  new  learninjx  and  are  catch- 
ing  the  infection  of  western  thought.  There  are  free- 
thinkers and  rationalists  and  reformers  among  them. 

All  this  is  the  vital  rather  than  the  volitional  expansion 
of  Christendom.  It  has  nothing  to  do  with  any  mission- 
ary or  even  Christian  purpose.  It  results,  in  fact,  from  no 
deliberate  purpose  of  any  kind,  but  is  simply  the  natural 
outworking  of  the  expansive,  aggressive  forces  inherent  in 
Christendom,  which  spread  over  the  world  as  involuntarily 
and,  so  far  as  relates  to  all  higher  aim,  as  unconsciously  as 
the  ivy  vine  spreads  over  old  ruins.  It  is  but  a  part  of  the 
perpetual  and  inevitable  evolution  of  God's  kingdom. 
Quite  as  involuntary  and  spontaneous  is  also — 
4.  The  moral  expansion  of  Christendom.  The  establish- 
ment of  the  Christian  rule  over  any  part  of  the  world  im- 
plies to  a  greater  or  less  degree  the  establishment  of  the 
law  of  Christian  nations  in  that  land.  It  implies  the  intro- 
duction into  the  social  life  of  that  people  of  a  certain  stock 
of  moral  ideas,  a  certain  standard  of  conduct  which,  wheth- 
er recognized  as  specifically  Christian  or  not,  are  none  the 
less  so  and  are  most  contagious.  India  gives  us  the  best 
instance  of  the  moral  influence  of  the  new  legal  codes 
which,  standing  side  by  side  with  both  Hindu  and  Mos- 
lem codes,  are  gradually  demolishing  old,  cruel,  degrading 


The  Spiritual  Ex2mnsion  of  Christendom        313 

practices,  formerly  sanctioned  by  both  law  and  religion, 
creating  new  moral  sentiments  and  impressing  the  moral 
ideals  of  Christendom  on  heathen  peoples.  There  are  parts 
of  Turkey  where  tlie  strongest  oath  that  a  Mohammedan 
can  take  is  "  By  the  word  of  an  Englishman  !"  To  India 
English  rule  has  brought  a  hitherto  unimagined  sense  of 
justice.  Sir  Bartlc  Frere  is  quoted  as  saying  that  as  an 
indirect  result  of  missionary  influence  whole  villages  and 
even  tribes  of  the  aborigines  of  India  have  substituted 
deities  of  mercy  and  purity  for  the  former  deities  of  cruelty 
and  lust.  It  is  impossible  for  Christendom  to  be  even  frag- 
raentarily  present  in  heathendom  without  insensibly  affect- 
ing that  which  most  opposes  it.  Quite  apart,  too,  from  the 
political  sway  of  Christendom,  all  countries  which  enter  in 
any  way  into  the  alliance  or  relations  with  Christian  na- 
tions must  do  so  on  the  basis  of  that  system  of  interna- 
tional law  which,  more  distinctly,  perhaps,  than  any  other 
department  of  law,  is  the  direct  outgrowth  of  Christian 
principles. 

Finally,  still  within  this  realm  of  natural  growth,  there  is 
something  that  may  be  called — 

5.  The  spiritual  expansion  of  Christendom.  Wherever 
the  representatives  of  Christianity  go  they  carry  with  them 
their  own  institutions,  and,  if  at  all  religiously  inclined,  their 
ecclesiastical  institutions.  And  without  any  distinct  mis- 
sionary purpose  colonies  of  Caucasians  establish  their  own 
church  and  worship  in  the  midst  of  the  heathen.  With 
them  comes  the  Bible.  And  with  them  comes  also  west- 
ern literature,  saturated  with  Christian  sentiment.  From 
all  tliese  sources  there  ensues  a  universal  diffusion  of  the 
spiritual  substance  of  Christendom,  as  subtle  as  the  infec- 
tion of  any  disease,  as  purposeless  and  as  beneficent  as  the 


314  Modern  3Iissions  iri  the  East 

diffusion  of  light.  Tlie  rivers  of  God  swell  into  a  flood, 
flow  over  the  land,  and  leave  a  deposit  of  alluvial  soil  from 
which  must  spring  harvests  of  life.  The  Church  of  Eng- 
land expands  with  the  dispersion  of  its  members,  follows 
them  in  all  their  colonial  and  commercial  enterprises,  and 
in  supplying  their  needs  is  on  the  ground  to  see  and  know 
the  needs  of  the  heathen.  Many  crumbs  that  fall  from 
these  tables  will  inevitably  be  given  to  the  dogs  that  hun- 
ger near  by.  It  should  never  be  forgotten  that  Henry  Mar- 
tin, David  Brown,  and  others  who  did  much  for  the  early 
missionary  work  in  India  at  the  close  of  the  last  century, 
were  simply  chaplains  in  the  employ  of  the  East  India 
Company. 

This  inherent  expansiveness  of  Christianity  furnishes  the 
only  explanation  for  a  certain  class  of  phenomena  whose  sig- 
nificance is  seldom  fully  appreciated.  I  mean  the  frequent, 
sudden  appearance  of  an  isolated  and  sporadic  Christianity, 
springing  up  in  various  forms  and  circumstances,  mingled, 
perhaps,  with  strange  heathon  ideas,  but  unmistakably  the 
outgrowth  of  some  chance  Christian  seed  floating  in  the  air 
and  lodging  in  a  remote  soil.  Eumors  of  the  new  faith 
reach  some  pagan  community  and  find  them  strangely 
ready  to  receive  something  better  than  their  old  supersti- 
tion, so  that  when  the  missionary  arrives,  if  he  arrives,  he 
finds  his  work  already  begun.  It  was  through  reading  a 
fragment  of  a  Dutch  Bible  that  fell  in  his  way  by  chance 
that  Neesima  was  led  to  seek  America  and  Christ.  Some 
tract  or  portion  of  the  Bible  falls  into  the  hand  of  a  truth- 
seeker  and  results  in  the  formation  of  a  new  Hindu  or 
Moslem  sect.  Nothing  better  shows  what  a  power  of  fer- 
ment and  explosion  lies  in  a  few  grains  of  Christian  truth 
than  the  Taiping  Rebellion  in  China,  the  perverted  fruit  of 


Tlie  Spiritual  Expanuon  of  Christendom       315 

a  few  seeds  of  Christian  truth  in  the  heart  of  a  Chinaman. 
A  man  of  remarkable  vigor  and  entliusiasm  of  character 
gains  some  slight  knowledge  of  Christianity.  Forthwith 
he  proclaims  the  Christian  religion  and  a  Chinese  revolt 
against  the  Tartar  emperors.  The  rebellion  spreads  like 
wildfire  through  the  country,  the  old  imperial  city  of  Nan- 
king is  occupied,  and  the  emperor  trembles  on  his  throne  at 
Peking.  It  is  only  the  aid  of  the  American  Ward  and  of 
Chinese  Gordon  that  enables  the  rulers  to  triumph.  The 
religion  of  the  rebels  took  on  strange,  even  blasphemous 
shapes  before  they  were  conquered,  and  Christianity  showed 
its  most  disruptive  energies. 

The  political,  industrial,  intellectual,  moral,  and  spiritual 
expansion  of  Christendom  is  rapidly  embracing  and  per- 
vading every  part  of  the  globe.  By  the  simple  pressure  of 
its  spontaneous  enlargement  the  whole  heathen  world  is  be- 
ing broken  up  and  reconstructed.  Every  heathen  state,  with 
the  solitary  exception  of  China,  either  crumbles  or  is  swept 
into  the  general  current  of  Christendom.  Every  heathen 
society  is  in  process  of  disorganization  and  transformation. 
This  change  affects  the  industrial  conditions,  the  intellect- 
ual conceptions,  the  social  aims,  the  legal  basis,  the  moral 
judgment,  and,  to  some  extent,  the  spiritual  consciousness 
and  aspiration  of  every  part  of  heathendom.  Every  non- 
Christian  religion  is  under  the  transforming  spell,  and  is 
in  part  simply  dissolving  away,  in  part  reorganizing  itself 
into  a  new  existence.  The  mass  of  heathen  superstitions  is 
doomed.  Nature -worship  and  polytheistic  idolatry  must 
fall  away  before  the  light  of  western  science,  as  the  bats  of 
night  and  the  shadows  of  early  dawn  disappear  before  ad- 
vancing day.  The  cosmogonies  and  mythologies  of  Hindu- 
ism and  Shintoism  can  no  more  coexist  on  the  same  soil  with 


316  3Iodern  Missioiis  in  the  East 

modern  science  than  the  Ptolemaic  and  the  Copernican  sys- 
tems of  astronomy. 

It  is  impossible  to  exaggerate  the  amazing  opportunity 
and  the  mighty  auxiliaries  offered  to  direct  missionary  work 
through  this  overwhelming  expansion  of  Christendom.  It 
is  as  with  the  planting  of  the  spring-time.  No  man  goes 
into  the  field  alone.  Nature  is  on  his  side.  The  seasons, 
the  sun,  the  winds,  the  rains  all  co-operate.  He  has  but 
to  fling  his  slight  labor  and  his  tiny  seeds  into  the  mighty 
current  of  nature's  forces,  and  nature  sweeps  him  on  to 
a  glorious  harvest.  The  whole  expansive  and  aggressive 
force  of  Christendom  leads  and  backs  every  missionary  and 
is  concentrated  in  his  single  arm,  all  ministrant  to  his  gos- 
pel purpose. 

The  one  universal  opportunity  of  the  Christian  era  has 
dawned  upon  us.  The  precise  hour  for  universal  mission 
activity  has  struck.  The  whole  expansive  cosmic  energy  of 
Christendom  rushes  into  co-operation  with  us.  Every  door 
swings  open,  physical,  political,  mental,  spiritual.  The  dis- 
solution of  heathendom  began  long  ago.  Everything  comes 
into  a  state  of  flux.  Now  is  the  time  to  catch  the  molten 
liquid  of  the  native  ores  and  run  it  into  Christian  moulds 
ere  it  hardens  into  evil  and  defiant  shapes.  God  is  the  great 
missionary ;  Christendom  is  one  vast  unconscious  missionary 
society.  It  is  in  the  interests  of  his  church  and  kingdom 
that  God  rules  the  world.  He  uses  all  intellectual  change 
and  ferment,  all  historic  movements,  all  social  forces,  all  po- 
litical combinations  and  convulsions  to  advance  his  re- 
demptive purpose,  and  bring  men  to  the  knowledge  of  their 
Lord  and  Saviour.  In  this  divine  enterprise  the  missionary 
church  is  but  one,  though  the  culminating  and  indispen- 
sable agency.     If  it  simply  do  its  part,  the  whole  is  done. 


The  Spiritual  Expansion  of  Christendom        317 

The  intensely  critical  character  of  this  epoch  can  he 
rightly  estimated  only  by  discerning  its  pivotal,  creative, 
and  constructive  relation  to  the  future. 

Under  the  influence  of  expansive  Christendom  heathen- 
dom is  coming  every  day  into  a  more  complete  state  of 
flux.  But  if  dissolving,  heathenism  is  also  crystallizing. 
It  is  in  the  process  of  transformation.  Its  vitality  is  not 
necessarily  gone.  Heathenism  is  vital  even  in  the  midst 
of  Christendom.  Its  citadel  is  the  unregenerate  human 
heart.  The  changes  abroad  may  be  only  the  readjust- 
ment of  the  old  substance  to  new  environment.  The  new 
shapes  that  succeed  the  old  may  be  more  highly  organized, 
more  cohesive,  more  resistant,  perhaps  even  more  vital. 
Is  not  all  intra-Christian  heathenism  more  subtle  and  pow- 
erful than  all  extra-Christian  heathenism,  simply  because 
it  has  survived  antagonism  and  adjusted  itself  to  its  new 
conditions?  Those  elements  found  inconsistent  with  the 
new  knowledge  and  purpose  of  the  world,  and  liable  to 
corrosion  by  the  secular  acids  of  Christendom  will  be  left 
out.  Gross  features  of  immorality  and  worship,  offensive 
to  a  refined  taste,  will  be  eliminated.  New,  enlightened, 
polite  but  persistent,  mighty  and  defiant  heathenisms  may 
be  wrought  out  of  the  very  materials  that  composed  the 
old,  outworn,  and  disintegrated  religions  of  the  past. 

It  is  a  great  mistake  to  suppose  that  the  disintegration  of 
heathenism  necessarily  or  naturally  means  its  demolition. 
Inherent  in  every  one  of  the  great  ethnic  religions  is  an 
immense  vitality,  a  tenacious,  constructive,  and  adaptive 
force  which  is  capable  of  passing  through  countless  mu- 
tations and  transformations,  and  of  assuming  Protean  shapes 
while  it  yet  preserves  the  same  essence.  It  requires  but 
little  power  of  forecast  to  see  that  one  appalling  danger 


318  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

which  threatens  the  world  is  the  rise  of  what  may  be  called 
scientific  systems  of  heathenism,  no  less  misleading  and 
perverting  than  their  predecessors,  but  far  more  invulnera- 
ble and  intractable.  A  very  slight  use  of  the  historic  im- 
agination, too,  may  enable  us  to  foreshadow  the  shapes  these 
renovated  systems  would  take. 

This  subject  has  been  treated  with  some  detail  by  Dr.  Ciist, 
in  a  series  of  articles  entitled  "Clouds  on  the  Horizon."  He 
gives  a  survey  of  what  may  be  called  the  neologies  of  pagan- 
ism as  well  as  of  Christendom.  There  are  first  "  the  old  be- 
liefs purified,  refined,  and  adapted  to  the  requirements  of  a  civ- 
ilized society."  These  are  neo-Mohammedanism,  of  which  the 
work  of  Syad  Ahmad  Khan,  of  Aligarh,  is  a  notable  example, 
as  he  strives  to  show  that  Islam  is  not  incompatible  with  ad- 
vanced thought  and  science  ;  neo-Judaism,  as  we  see  it  in  what 
is  called  Reformed  Judaism,  often  not  differing  greatly  from 
Unitarianism  ;  neo-Hinduism,  as  seen  in  the  Jains,  Sikhs,  and 
the  Arya  Somaj ;  neo-Zoroastrianism,  as  it  is  found  among 
the  hundred  thousand  Parsees  of  India;  neo-Buddhism,  as 
reformed  and  revived  in  some  of  the  sects  in  China  and 
Japan ;  neo-Confucianism,  which,  detached  from  the  Buddh- 
ism and  Taoism  of  China,  might  have  as  great  a  claim  on 
thoughtful  Chinese  as  any  system  in  the  world.  These  are 
all  rehabilitated  heathenisms,  which  are  sure  to  present 
themselves  to  the  Asiatics  as  substitutes  for  the  new  Christi- 
anity. Stripping  themselves  of  the  vulnerable  parts  of  their 
systems,  they  will  claim  to  represent  the  native  development 
and  natural  needs  of  those  vast  populations,  and  may  long 
resist  the  progress  of  Christianity. 

But  there  are  other  systems  which  will  spring  from  the 
combination  of  the  old  and  the  new.  They  will  retain  much 
of  the  native  paganism,  but  will  modify  and,  as  they  think, 


The  Spiritual  Ex^pansion  of  Christendom        319 

redeem  it  by  an  intermixture  of  sometliing  of  Christianity. 
Tliesc  will  be  eclectic  systems,  which  will  be  all  things  to  all 
men,  in  a  sense  not  intended  by  raul.  The  Brahmism  of 
Baboo  Keshub  Chnnder  Sen  and  of  Mozoomdar,  and  the  the- 
osophy  of  Colonel  Olcott,  are  fair  samples  of  the  best  and 
the  worst  that  may  be  expected. 

Do  the  forms  which  these  rejuvenated  heathenisms  assume 
seem  strangely  familiar?  And  does  this  rejection  of  gross- 
ness  and  superstition,  this  seeming  approach  to  what  is  found 
in  Christendom,  seem  to  promise  a  speedy  conversion?  The 
familiarity  is  plain,  but  it  gives  cause  for  dismay  rather  than 
for  congratulation. 

There  are  four  philosophic  substitutes  for  Christianity. 
These  are  Deism,  Pantheism,  Atheism,  and  Agnosticism, 
held  in  various  spiritualistic  and  materialistic  forms  and  com- 
binations. Every  one  of  these  has  some  degree  of  intellect- 
ual consistency,  some  reply  to  Christianity,  some  mental 
justification  to  afford  its  adherents.  Every  one  has  seemed 
congruous  with,  perhaps  supported  by,  the  fresh  develop- 
ments of  science.  The  growth  and  attacks  of  one  after 
another  of  these  have  often  caused  ])erplexity,  not  to  say  dis- 
may, among  the  defenders  of  the  faith.  But  all  that  we 
have  so  far  encountered  of  these  antagonists  have  been  of  an 
individual  character.  There  have  been  certain  prominent 
champions  of  each  of  these  theories,  certain  schools  of  their 
followers,  and  certain  vague,  shallow  currents  of  kindred 
thought  among  the  people.  But  so  far  we  have  encountered 
in  Christendom  no  national,  universal,  or  really  popular  de- 
velopment of  any  one  of  these  systems.  The  French  mind 
is,  perhaps,  most  strongly  tinged  with  atheism,  the  German 
with  pantheism.  But  in  the  providence  of  God,  through 
the  fidelity  of  the  church,  the  substance  of  Christianity  was 


320  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

so  early  and  thoroughly  inwrought  into  the  fibre  of  the 
Celtic,  Teutonic,  and  Slavonic  tribes  that  the  development  of 
their  minds  has  always  proved  the  development  of  Christian 
thought  and  life,vvhile  anti-Christian  philosophy  has  been  only 
an  eddy  on  the  great  under-current  of  Christendom.  Further 
back,  in  the  great  break-up  of  Grseco-Roman  life  and  relig- 
ions, the  apostolic  fidelity  of  the  church  defeated  the  attempt 
of  old  paganism  to  reconstruct  itself  into  neo-Platonism  and 
other  kindred  forms,  in  the  face  of  the  new  attacking  power. 

But  that  peril  which  we  have  hitherto  escaped  is  precisely 
what  is  now  impending  in  heathendom.  The  danger  is  that 
in  Japan,  China,  India,  the  Turkish  dominions — all  over 
Asia,  in  fact — we  may  soon  be  encountered  by  great  national, 
modernized  paganisms,  by  growths  and  systems  of  morals, 
philosophy,  and  religion  which  have  doffed  their  old  heathen- 
ish garb,  but  are  more  intensely  anti-Christian  than  ever; 
systems  which  liave  learned  to  guard  their  vulnerable  points, 
and  now  claim  the  support  of  that  very  secular  science  which 
seemed  about  to  undo  them;  which  are  rooted  in  the  historic 
and  national  tendencies  of  their  peoples ;  which  inherit  all 
the  traditions  of  their  predecessors,  and  liave  dropped  all 
their  incumbrances ;  systems  which  are  as  utter  perversions 
of  the  true  instincts  of  the  human  heart  as  any  fetichism  that 
ever  existed,  and  in  some  cases  minister  even  less  to  their 
deeper  needs,  yet  in  the  clear,  dry  light  of  the  twentieth 
century  may  hold  sway  over  millions  of  minds  in  Asia,  and 
generate  an  atmosphere  of  dreamy  pantheism  or  rationalistic 
materialism  or  narrow  fatalism  which  shall  tinge  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  world. 

We  can  hardly  begin  to  estimate  the  harm  to  the  human 
race  if  the  molten  religions  of  Asia,  instead  of  being  caught 
while  in  flux  and  run  in  Christian  moulds,  be  allowed  to  stiffen 


The  Spiritual  Ej^pansion  of  Christendom       321 

into  scientific,  national  licathcnisms  and  secularisms.  The 
final  triumph  of  Christianity  might  not  be  prevented,  but  it 
might  be  delayed  for  ages.  In  Judaism  we  have  one  mourn- 
ful instance  of  a  national  anti-Christian  religion  which, 
though  near  akin  to  and  in  closest  contact  with  Christianity, 
and  never  making  propaganda  for  itself,  has  yet  survived  un- 
changed, except  as  latest  movements  may  be  reforming  it 
into  rationalism  rather  than  Christianity. 

Islam  too  shows  the  power  which  a  degraded,  fatalistic, 
but  intensely  religious  monotheism  lias  to  overthrow  an  un- 
faithful Christianity,  and  to  remain  absolutely  unaffected  by 
daily  intercourse  with  Christian  peoples.  There  seems  to  be 
no  reason  in  the  nature  of  things  why  the  progress  of 
Christianity  might  not  now  be  interrupted  by  other  antago- 
nists as  bitter  and  persistent  as  Judaism  and  Islam  have 
long  been,  but  the  offspring  of  fresh  and  mighty  delusions, 
scepticisms,  or  fanaticisms.  It  is  not  at  all  improbable  that 
Hinduism,  Buddhism,  and  Confucianism  may  assume  modern 
philosophic  forms,  rational,  anti-Christian,  and  of  low  moral 
type,  yielding  enough  satisfaction  to  the  upward  aspirations 
of  the  pious,  and  enough  concessions  to  the  passions  of  the 
multitude,  to  fetter  whole  races  for  centuries.  We  know 
how  little  the  converting  power  of  the  gospel  has  availed 
with  such  men  as  Mr.  Bradlaugh  and  Mr.  Ingersoll,  even 
though  the  best  type  of  Christianity  has  been  presented  to 
them.  But  if  wc  can  conceive  vast  nations  made  up  of 
Bradlaughs  and  IngersoUs,  wc  shall  realize  the  difficulties 
and  disaster  impending  if  the  great  religions  of  Asia  be  al- 
lowed to  reconstruct  themselves  under  the  influence  of  our 
secular  civilization. 


But  the  vital  expansion  of  Christendom  has  another  great 

21 


322  3Iodern  Missions  in  the  East 

danger  to  dread  besides  that  of  a  revived  scientific  heathen- 
ism.    That  danger  is  a  heathenized  Christianity. 

The  expansion  of  Christendom  has  ah-eady  proceeded  so 
far,  it  has  given  such  deadly  blows  to  heathenism,  its  prestige 
and  promise  are  so  great,  as  to  make  it  probable,  especially 
among  the  races  of  Africa  and  in  conquered  or  colonized 
parts  of  both  Africa  and  Asia,  that  great  masses  of  people 
may  erelong  give  a  nominal  adhesion  to  the  religion  of  the 
dominant  nations  of  the  world.  This  is  the  opinion  of  so 
impartial  an  observer  as  that  advanced  Positivist,  M.  Barthe- 
lemy  St.  Hilaire,  who  in  a  recent  address  before  the  Acad- 
emy of  Moral  and  Political  Sciences,  at  Paris,  thus  proph- 
esied as  to  the  future  of  Christianity :  "  The  colonial  ex- 
pansion of  Christendom  will  ultimately  cover  the  whole 
world,  and  India,  drawn  into  the  current,  will  one  day  spon- 
taneously embrace  the  faith  of  her  masters  and  educators,  as 
she  has  already  adopted  their  industry  and  commerce."  A 
political  and  popular  acceptance  of  Christianity  seems  even 
nearer  in  Japan  than  in  India.  It  would  not  be  at  all 
strange  if,  at  the  close  of  the  twentieth  century,  all  the 
states  and  great  peoples  of  the  world  should  be  nominally 
Christian,  with  the  exception  of  China  and  the  Mohammedan 
states.  But  so  far  as  this  results  from  the  merely  natural 
expansion  of  Christendom,  what  will  be  the  character  of  this 
nominal  and  popular  Christianity  ?  That  is  a  question  of 
tremendous  import.  Its  answer  may  well  cause  grave  alarm. 
The  clew  to  that  answer  lies  in  the  condition  of  the  Christian 
church  to-day  if  Protestantism  were  blotted  out,  especially  of 
the  church  in  the  Orient,  in  Mexico,  and  in  South  America. 
What  a  caricature  of  the  apostolic  church  is  thus  presented ! 
Yet  that  is  just  the  danger  that  menaces  us  in  Asia  and 
Africa.    The  less  the  danger  of  modernized  heathenisms,  the 


The  Spiritual  Expansion  of  Christendom       323 

greater  tlic  danger  of  degraded  Christian  isms.  Nor  is  it  at 
all  difficult  to  conjecture  the  form  in  which  these  degraded 
types  might  appear. 

The  natural  Christianity  of  heathendom  would  be  fatal- 
istic, for  that  is  one  of  the  deepest  oriental  traits,  character- 
izing Hindu  and  Mohammedan  alike.  It  can  be  counter- 
acted only  by  individual  regeneration  and  the  development 
of  the  Christian  personality. 

It  would  be  a  legal  and  formal  Christianity,  of  work- 
righteousness,  seeking  to  accumulate  merit  through  the  per- 
formance of  saving  deeds;  for  this  impulse  is  rooted  deep 
in  the  natural  heathenism  of  the  human  heart,  and  is  a  feat- 
ure of  oriental  Christianity  to-day. 

It  would  be  a  sacerdotal,  ecclesiastical  Christianity,  en- 
slaved by  a  hierarchy  ;  for  the  feebler  the  hold  which  Christ 
has  of  the  individual  soul,  the  greater  the  necessity  for  the 
authority  of  the  church  and  its  priesthood,  and  the  greater 
the  readiness  of  the  Asiatic  mind  to  accept  these  as  substi- 
tutes. 

According  to  the  country  and  the  class  of  people,  differ- 
ent sections  of  this  heathenized  Christianism  will  be  either 
superstitious  or  rationalistic,  deistic  or  pantheistic.  "When 
we  see  the  difficulty  with  which  different  sections  of  the 
occidental  church  avoid  or  emerge  from  these  opposite 
sloughs,  we  have  a  hint  of  what  must  be  expected  in  the 
Orient. 

If  such  would  be  some  of  its  intellectual  traits,  its  moral 
and  social  aspects  can  be  quite  as  clearly  predicted. 

In  India  it  would  become  a  caste-Christianity.  That  was 
the  basis  of  mission  work  there  during  the  last  century;  it  is 
the  basis  of  the  Roman  Catholic  work  to-day,  and  it  is  hard 
enough  to  keep  our  own  mission  churches  from  being  swept 


324  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

along  into  it.  Caste  is  more  to  Hinduism  than  all  tbe  rest  of 
its  system,  and  if  in  any  form  Brahminical  supremacy  could 
be  preserved,  there  is  little  doubt  that  Hindus  would  speedily 
flock  into  Christianity,  bringing  their  bags  and  their  baggage, 
their  temples,  their  idols,  their  sacred  books,  and  all  else 
that  was  not  put  in  spiritual  quarantine. 

For  again,  both  in  India  and  elsewhere,  it  would  un- 
doubtedly be  an  idolatrous  Christianity.  One  grows  only 
too  familiar  in  the  East  with  the  possibility  of  an  idolatrous 
Christianity,  to  say  nothing  of  what  one  sees  in  Europe. 
Since  Buddha  is  already  enrolled  among  the  saints  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church,  there  seems  no  reason  why  the 
adoption  into  the  same  category  of  Confucius,  of  Rama, 
Krishna,  and  other  mythologic  and  historic  objects  of  Asiatic 
worship  should  not  afford  a  basis  of  compromise  satisfactory 
to  Hindus,  Buddhists,  and  Confucianists  alike.  "I  worship 
Jesus  Christ;  I  have  him  in  here,"  said  an  oily  Brahmin 
priest  to  me,  in  the  horrid  temple  of  Kali,  at  Calcutta. 
"But  Krishna  is  greater."  For  the  sake  of  preserving 
Krishna-worship,  however,  I  think  they  might  yield  the  su- 
premacy to  Christ.  Place  the  images  of  these  heroes  beside 
those  of  the  Virgin,  of  St.  Peter  and  other  saints,  and  then 
in  addition  consent  to  rank  the  ancestors  of  the  Chinese 
family  in  a  lower  class  of  saints  or  semi-saints  (a  proceeding 
so  long  attempted  and  so  nearly  accomplished  by  the  Jesuits 
in  China),  and  all  that  the  most  ardent  advocate  of  adapta- 
tion to  the  heathen  could  desire  has  been  granted.  There  is 
every  reason  to  suppose  that  it  would  be  accepted  by  the 
East. 

Such  prophecy  might  seem  a  jest  did  not  the  teachings 
of  history  show  the  danger  to  be  imminent.  It  is  quite 
possible  to  have  a  change  of  the  source  of  authority   and 


The  Spiritual  Expansion  of  Christendom       325 

of  the  objects  of  worsliip,  with  practically  no  change  in  the 
mental,  social,  and  moral  life  of  the  people.  That  is  suf- 
ficiently established  by  the  history  of  Portuguese  Chris- 
tianity in  India,  not  to  speak  of  this  continent  and  the 
Spaniards. 

With  an  idolatrous  or  caste  Christianity  tlic  Moslems 
would  scorn  to  have  anything  to  do.  But  so  far  as  they 
should  yield  to  the  assimilating,  transforming  processes, 
the  expansion  of  Christendom  might  produce  a  polygamous 
Christianity.  The  case  of  the  Mormons  is  only  too  clear 
a  proof  of  the  possibility  of  such  a  movement  springing  up 
among  western  peoples,  already  Christianized,  whose  an- 
cestors never  tended  to  polygamy.  How  natural  would  be 
such  a  development  among  oriental,  sensual,  polygamous 
races  who  should  simply  be  swept  into  the  currents  of 
Christendom! 

It  is  only  too  obvious  that  it  might  be  an  intemperate 
Christianity.  The  establishment  of  the  liquor-shop  is  now 
the  sign  of  the  advent  of  Christians  in  the  Moslem  town  or 
the  African  village.  One  of  the  inevitable  gifts  which 
Christendom  brings  to  heathendom  is  its  intoxicating  liq- 
uors and  opium,  the  craving  for  which  grows  far  more  con- 
stitutional, epidemic,  and  deadly  among  Africans  and 
Asiatics  than  among  us.  Once  relax  the  prohibitions  of 
Islam  and  Hinduism,  and  let  the  example  of  the  rulers  of 
India  be  accepted,  the  popular  tradition  of  India  would  be 
verified  for  the  world,  that  to  be  a  Christian  means  to  eat 
meat  and  drink  liquor. 

But  I  need  not  further  depict  the  outline  of  this  mon- 
strous caricature  of  Christianity  which  looms  up  as  an 
awful  substitute  for  the  present  decaying  heathenism  of 
Asia  and  Africa.      There  are  also  other  possibilities,  al- 


326  Modern  Missions  in  the  East 

most  too  terrible  for  contemplation,  sucli  as  fierce  reactions 
into  more  gloomy  and  desperate  heathenisms  than  now  ex- 
ist, or  the  introduction  of  western  irreligion  with  social- 
ism, anarchism,  and  nihilism,  bringing  the  complete  denial 
of  moral  obligation,  the  dissolution  of  social  and  national 
bonds,  and,  as  the  outcome,  great  moral  pestilences  and 
popular  catastrophes  which  would  leave  their  mark  on 
whole  countries  and  centuries.  When  we  consider  the 
spread  of  these  movements  even  in  the  face  of  a  solid  and 
aggressive  Christianity,  there  seems  only  too  much  reason 
to  fear  that  the  unprepared  mind  of  the  East,  inclined  by 
nature  to  pessimism,  and  shaken  from  its  old  supports, 
might  prove  tinder  or  even  powder  to  the  fatal  spark. 
These  dangers  are  too  incalculable  for  us  to  estimate  or  out- 
line, though  they  will  certainly  have  some  share  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  East. 

But,  as  the  consequence  of  the  merely  natural  expan- 
sion of  Christendom,  the  two  alternatives  to  a  genuine 
Christianity  which  have  been  depicted,  a  scientific  heathen- 
ism and  a  heathenized  Christianity — whichever  of  the  two 
may  preponderate  —  are  not  simply  possibilities  or  even 
probabilities.  Dismal  as  is  the  prospect  they  offer,  yet 
apart  from  one  sole  agency  they  are,  humanly  speaking, 
inevitabilities.  And  if  dominant  in  Asia  and  Africa,  they 
will  prove  mighty  reinforcements  to  the  ever-active  pagan- 
ism of  America  and  Europe.  Christendom,  regarded  as  a 
natural  power  of  the  earth,  will  undoubtedly  possess  itself 
of  the  world.  Thus  regarded,  however,  there  is  a  fatal  in- 
completeness which,  if  continued,  will  ruin  its  work ;  un- 
less it  be  led  and  controlled  in  this  occupation  by  one  su- 
preme agent,  it  will  divide  its  reign  between  a  baptized 
paganism  and  a  cultured  infidelity. 


The  Spiritual  Expansion  of  Christendom        327 

That  one  agent  is  tlie  pure,  living  Cliristian  cliiirch,  tlie 
native  cluirch  of  every  country,  planted  there  while  the 
furrows  arc  open  hy  direct  missionary  labor,  independently 
rooted,  nurtured,  and  enriched  by  the  consecrated  contri- 
butions of  every  material  and  spiritual  element  which  each 
people  can  supply,  thus  adapted  by  a  glorious  transforma- 
tion to  its  universal  work;  a  church  which,  propagating 
itself  on  all  sides,  shall  overshadow  every  land  and  over- 
reach every  ocean,  until,  with  both  roots  and  branches  all 
interwoven,  it  shall  encompass  the  globe  and  fill  the  whole 
world  with  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  Then  through  that 
which  every  land  supplieth,  according  to  the  working  in 
due  measure  of  each  several  nation,  the  increase  of  this 
tree  of  righteousness  will  be  made,  until  w^e  have  at  last 
the  one  Catholic,  Apostolic  Church  of  Christ,  in  which  is 
the  salvation  of  the  world,  by  which  scientific  heathenisms 
and  degraded  Christianisms  alike  must  be  uprooted,  and 
all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  be  transformed  into  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

Thus  will  the  expansion  of  Christendom  as  a  natural  proc- 
ess be  turned  into  the  extension  of  Christianity  by  the  con- 
secrated will  of  the  church  of  Christ.  The  gospel  guides 
this  natural  process  by  a  conscious  divine  purpose,  and  con- 
centrates all  the  spontaneous  energies  of  Christendom  upon 
one  point.  It  kindles  that  point  into  a  blaze  with  the 
heavenly  vital  spark  that  flashes  from  the  touch  of  the  con- 
secrated and  regenerated  church.  And  then,  as  the  flamino- 
sun  expands  and  diffuses  itself  with  its  light  and  heat  and 
power  through  the  world,  everywhere  vanquishing  death 
and  waking  life,  so  the  living  gospel,  gathering  into  itself 
all  the  energies  of  Christendom,  shall  rise  and  shine  and 
save  in  all  the  realms  of  darkness. 


328  Modern  Missions  hi  the  East 

But  the  mustard-seed  out  of  wliicli  tliis  world-tree  shall 
grow,  the  vital  spark  out  of  which  this  world-sun  shall 
flash,  is  in  the  hand  of  the  churches  of  our  Christian  lands. 
And  the  church  is  made  up  of  such  as  we. 

Now  is  the  moment  when  the  natural,  secular,  and  his- 
toric forces  of  Christendom  are  drawn  np  in  battle  array, 
flushed  with  their  preliminary  success,  only  awaiting  the 
leadership  of  the  Christian  church  to  march  as  a  united 
body,  conquering  and  to  conquer,  sure  to  win  the  world  for 
Christ.  But  if  we  do  not  lead  these  forces  Ave  shall  lose 
them.  If  they  do  not  serve  us  they  will  desert  and  undo 
us.  Our  leadership  lacking,  they  will  be  ranged  on  the 
side  of  heathendom,  and  our  conquest  of  the  world  will  be 
indefinitely  delayed. 

Already  Christ  stands  at  the  head  and  points  the  way  to 
victory.  If  the  church  follows  Christ,  Christendom  will 
follow  the  church,  the  world  will  yield  to  Christianity. 
The  church — everything  depends  on  the  church.  There 
must  be  such  expansion  and  extension  'of  the  divine  life 
within  the  soul  and  of  the  soul  within  the  church  that 
neither  soul  nor  church  can  be  longer  self-contained,  but, 
learning  the  oneness  of  every  peril  at  home  and  abroad, 
and  the  oneness -of  every  salvation,  the  evangelical  alliance 
of  Christendom  shall  blend  the  national  cry  of  every  land, 
"  Our  country  for  Christ !"  in  a  mighty,  harmonious  choral 
peal,  "  Our  world  for  Christ !"  The  true  divine  life  within 
us  will  bring  such  enlargement  of  both  soul  and  church 
that  they  shall  embrace  the  whole  earth  in  their  redemp- 
tive love  and  ministry.  Then  shall  there  remain  no  oppos- 
ing alternative  to  the  long  -  prophesied  expansion  of  the 
mustard-seed  into  a  world-church,  a  universal  spiritual 
Christendom,  secured  not  simply  by  natural  expansion,  but 


The  Spiritual  Expansion  of  Christendom        329 

supremely  by  the  supernatural  intervention  of  the  inspired 
church,  and  living  in  the  universal  light  of  the  Sun  of 
Rififhteousness, 


THE    END 


THE  LAND  AND  THE  BOOK. 

The  Land  and  the  Book  ;  or,  Biblical  Illustrations  drawn  from 
the  Manners  and  Customs,  the  Scenes  and  Scenery,  of  the 
Holy  Land.  By  William  M.  Thomson,  D.D.,  Forty -five 
Years  a  Missionary  in  Syria  and  Palestine.  In  Three 
Volumes,  8vo.  Price  per  volume  :  Cloth,  $0  00  ;  Sheep, 
87  00 ;  Half  Morocco  or  Half  Calf,  $8  50 ;  Full  Morocco, 
$10  00.     (Volumes  sold  separately.) 

Popular  Edition  in  Three  Volumes,  Svo,  Illuminated  Cloth, 
$7  50  ;  Half  Leather,  $10  50.  {The  Popular  Edition  sold 
only  in  sets.) 

Vol.  I.  Southern  Palestine  and  Jerusalem.     140  Illus- 
trations and  Maps. 

Vol.  II.  Central  Palestine  and  Phcenicia.     130  Illustra- 
tions and  Maps. 

Vol.  III.  Lebanon,  Damascus,  and  Beyond  Jordan.     147 
Illustrations  and  Maps. 

Students  of  the  daily  life,  the  personal  and  geographical  environments 
of  Jesus  and  his  disciples,  will  find  the  work  invaluable. — N.  Y.  Herald. 

His  work  is  more  than  a  mere  geographical  description  of  Palestine, 
though  he  has  given  much  attention  to  that  department ;  or  a  mere  de- 
lineation of  Eastern  manners,  though  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  anywhere 
else  so  graphic  and  accurate  a  portraiture  of  the  daily  life  of  the  Orientals. 
—Chridiayi  at  Work,  N.  Y. 

For  the  preacher,  the  Sunday-school  teacher,  every  Bible  student  and 
Christian  home,  the  work  will  prove  a  rare  treasure.  There  is  no  work 
that  can  come  even  near  taking  its  place. —  Christian  Advocate,  N.  Y. 

Dr.  Thomson  has  studied  the  field  with  painstaking  care ;  and  study- 
ing in  the  light  of  the  Bible  narrative,  he  has  collected  a  store  of  detailed 
and  general  knowledge  such  as  can  be  found  in  no  other  existing  work. — 
Boston  Traveller. 

The  information  which  may  be  derived  from  Dr.  Thomson's  careful  and 
authentic  descriptions  of  the  manners  and  customs,  the  natural  products 
and  common  sights,  of  the  Holy  Land  is  fresh  and  true,  and  is  not  to  be 
found  in  the  works  of  other  writers,  who  have  not,  as  a  rule,  possessed 
the  advantages,  the  scholarship,  or  the  Biblical  knowledge  of  this  veteran 
authority. — Athcnceum,  London. 


Published  by  HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  New  York. 

t^~The  above  cork  is  for  sale  bi/  all  booksellers,  or  loill  be  sent  by  the  publish- 
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of  the  price. 


GOD  m  HIS  WOKLD. 

An  Interpretation.  By  Henry  Mills  Alden.  Book  I. 
From  the  Beginning.  Book  H.  The  Incarnation.  Book 
III.  The  Divine  Human  Fellowship.  Post  8vo,  Cloth, 
Uncut  Edges  and  Gilt  Top,  $1  25;  White  and  Gold 
Edition,  $2  00. 

A  book  which,  if  we  mistake  not,  has  a  work  to  perform  in  the  spirit- 
ual field  not  unworthy  to  be  compared  with  that  which  "  Ecce  Homo  " 
wrought  in  the  sphere  of  practical  Christianity. — Evangelist,  N.  Y. 

A  book  of  ideas,  a  thoroughly  honest  book — a  book,  in  short,  such  as 
does  not  appear  every  day,  and  which  becomes  the  more  inspiring,  helpful, 
and  comfortiug  the  more  one  enters  into  it. —  Churchman,  N.  Y. 

This  is  a  fresh  and  sunshiny  book,  interpreting  in  its  own  fashion  the 
great  problems  of  the  world  and  of  Christianity.  .  .  .  This  volume  may  be 
read  and  studied  with  much  spiritual  profit. — Zion's  Herald,  Boston. 

A  true,  real,  noble  expression  of  religion — one  which  is  at  once  mystical 
and  rational,  vital  and  philosophical ;  an  expression  such  as  this  age  needs, 
and  no  other  age  than  this  could  have  produced. — Christian  Union,  N.  Y. 

This  book  is  a  remarkable  contribution  to  current  religious  literature. 
...  In  these  days,  when  bald  materialism  has  gained  such  a  foothold  even 
in  the  Cliristian  Church,  it  is  a  hopeful  sign  to  find  a  Ijook  like  this,  so  full 
of  genuine  spirituality  and  yet  so  free  from  pious  vapidity  and  cant. — 
N.  Y.  Tribune. 

A  remarkable  book.  The  temper  in  which  it  is  written  is  so  fine,  its 
tone  is  so  authoritative  without  the  semblance  of  dogmatism,  and  the 
sweep  of  thought  is  so  large  and  steady  that  one  is  fain  to  receive  it  as 
what  it  claims  to  be,  an  interpretation,  and  so,  in  the  radical  sense  of  the 
word,  a  prophecy. — Atlantic  Monthly. 

A  prose  poem,  in  fact,  inspired  by  reverence  for  God  and  religion,  and 
which  traces  from  the  dawn  of  history  "the  prophecy,  antitype,  and  ful- 
filment of  the  coming  of  Christ."  Following  what  he  considers  a  regular 
law  of  human  development,  he  constructs  a  theistic  system  which  will  fas- 
cinate some  readers  and  interest  many  more  who  may  not  necessarily  ac- 
cept his  opinions.  It  is  a  purely  individual  treatise,  in  no  respect  con- 
troversial, in  which  Christ  takes  the  central  place  both  in  the  Gospel 
revelation  and  in  all  true  explication  of  nature  and  society. — N.  Y.  Sim. 


PoBLisHED  BY  HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  New  Yokk. 

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By  GEI^ERAL  LEAV.  AVALLACE. 

The  Prince  of  India  ;  or,  Why  Constantinople  Fell.  Two 
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General  Wallace  has  achieved  the  (literan')  im-possible,  lie  has  struck 
the  biill's-cye  twice  in  succession.  After  his  phenomenal  hit  witli  "Bcn- 
Ilur,"  he  liiis  <^iven  us,  in  "The  Prince  of  India,"  another  book  which  no 
man  will  say  shows  tlic  least  falling  off. — N.  Y.  Tribune. 

A  masterly  and  great  and  absorbing  work  of  fiction.  .  .  .  Dignity,  a 
superb  conjunction  of  historical  and  Imaginative  material,  the  movement 
of  a  strong  river  of  fancy,  an  unfailing  quality  of  human  interest,  fill  it 
overflowingly.— iV.  Y.  Mail  and  Express. 

Ben-IIur.  a  Tale  of  the  Christ.  Garfield  Edition.  Two 
Volumes.  8vo,  Silk  Binding,  Uncut  Edges  and  Gilt  Tops, 
$7  00;  Three-quarter  Calf,  $12  00  ;  Three-quarter  Levant, 
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volume.  IGmo,  Cloth,  $1  50  ;  Half  Leather,  $2  00  ;  Three- 
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Anything  so  startling,  new^,  and  distinctive  as  the  leading  feature  o[ 
this  romance  does  not  often  appear  in  works  of  fiction. — N.  Y.  Times. 

"We  are  carried  through  a  surprising  variety  of  scenes ;  we  witness  a 
sea-fight,  a  chariot-race,  the  internal  economy  of  a  Roman  galley,  domestic 
interiors  at  Antioch,  at  Jerusalem,  and  among  the  tribes  of  the  desert; 
palaces,  prisons,  the  haunts  of  dissipated  Roman  youtli,  the  houses  of 
pious  families  of  Israel.  There  is  plenty  of  exciting  incident;  everything 
is  animated,  vivid,  and  glowing. — N.  Y.  Tribune. 

The  Boyhood  of  Christ.  AVith  Fourteen  Full-page  Engrav- 
ings on  Plate  Paper.  4to,  Ornamental  Leather  Binding, 
$3  50.     {In  a  Box.) 

This  work  is  a  gem  of  literature.  .  .  .  The  illustrations  are  drawn  from 
the  choicest  productions  of  human  art. —  Christian  Intelligencer^  X.  Y. 

It  is  such  a  bit  of  fine  and  fluent  story-telling  as  we  are  sure  no  one 
could  write  but  the  author  of  "  Ben-Hur." — Fhilacklpkia  Press. 


PuELisnED  BY  HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  New  York. 

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lisher.'<,  postage  prepaid,  to  any  jmrt  of  the  United  States,  Canada,  or  Mexico,  on 
receipt  of  the  price. 


JESUS  CHRIST  IN  THE  OLD  TESTAMENT. 

JESUS  CHRIST  IN  THE  OLD  TESTAMENT;  or,  The 
Great  Argument.  By  W.  H.  Thomson,  M.A.,  M.D.,  Pro- 
fessor of  Materia  Medica  and  Therapeutics,  Medical  Depart- 
ment University  of  New  York.  Pages  viii.,  472.  Crown 
8vo,  Cloth,  $2  00. 

The  book  is  worthy  in  ev^ery  way  of  careful  reading,  and  we  trust  it 
will  do  much  to  contirm  the  faith  of  wavering  Christians,  and  show  the 
"internal  critics"  that  men  outside  the  pulpit  see  the  folly  of  their  as- 
saults on  God's  Word  just  as  plainly  as  those  who  preach  the  whole 
Bible's  simple  truth  to  sinners. — Christian hitelUgencer^^.  Y. 

The  argument  of  the  author  is  masterly,  grand,  unanswerable.  It  should 
be  carefully  studied  by  all  who  wish  to  have  an  intelligent  understanding 
of  the  fundamental  truths  of  the  Word  of  God. — Interior,  Chicago. 

Dr.  Thomson's  special  qualifications  for  the  task  lie  in  his  familiarity 
with  Oriental,  Arabic,  and  Jewish  habits  of  thought  and  expression,  and 
with  the  scenery  and  modes  of  life  of  those  lands  where  the  Bible  writings 
originated,  while  his  own  scientific  training  fits  him  for  exactness  of  reason- 
ing. His  argument  brings  out  very  clearly  the  remarkable  special  fulfil- 
ments of  the  prophecies  of  Christ  in  the  Old  Testament,  but  he  does  not 
lay  great  stress  on  them,  for  the  wise  reason  that  such  a  series  of  fulfil- 
ments would  not  alone  carry  conviction.  He  finds  a  higher  and  more 
philosophical  ground  in  the  remarkable  unlikeness  of  the  prophecies  to  the 
human  opinions  and  ideals  of  the  time,  and  to  tiieir  unmistakable  conform- 
ity to  the  intent  of  the  Cliristian  Gospel  itself. — N.  Y.  Times. 

A  book  which  can  be  recommended  to  the  thoughtful  students  of  the 
life  of  our  Lord  as  related  to  Old  Testament  prophecy.  It  is  fresh,  stimu- 
lating, and  eminently  readable.  Dr.  Thomson's  style  is  stirring  and  ag- 
gressive.— Sionday  School  Times,  Philadelphia. 

In  respect  to  both  the  fulness  of  the  proofs  adduced  and  to  the  forms 
in  which  they  are  presented,  it  excels  any  that  we  have  seen  elsewhere. — 
Methodist  Quarterly  Reviev),  N.  Y. 

We  have  read  this  book  from  beginning  to  end.  In  fact  it  goes  with- 
out saying  that  this  is  so  to  any  reader  who  will  get  ten  pages  into  it.  It 
is  impossible  to  lay  it  down.  .  .  .  It  is  so  clear,  so  connected,  so  cogent  in 
its  reasoning,  that  one  feels  the  same  delight  as  in  listening  to  a  great 
advocate  arguing  a  point  of  law  before  able  judges.  .  .  .  We  commend 
this  book  to  all  our  readers,  and  more  especially  to  the  clergy. —  Church- 
man^ N.  Y. 

Tlie  work  is  scholarly  and  thoughtful,  and  will  broaden  the  view  of 
Christianity  and  strengthen  its  claims.  Biblical  literature  by  it  has  gained 
another  work  of  needed  spirit  and  character. — Boston  Globe. 


Published  by  HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  New  York. 

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